The Break-Up (Widescreen Edition)
by Peyton Reed
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DVD details
Actor: Cole Hauser, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Favreau, Vince VaughnDirector: Peyton Reed
Brand: NBC Universal
Writer: Vince Vaughn
Producer: Jay Lavender
Writer: Jay Lavender
Producer: Jeremy Garelick
Writer: Jeremy Garelick
Producer: John Isbell
Producer: Peter Billingsley
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 106 minutes
Published: 2006-10-01
DVD Release Date: 2006-10-17
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Reviews of The Break-Up (Widescreen Edition)
DVD Review: A [...] Review
Summary: 3 Stars
Plot Summary: Trouble ensues when a cohabitating couple decides to end their relationship but each partner refuses to move out of their home.
Reason for the Rating: Sexual content, some nudity, and language.
When The Break-Up came out on DVD, I was quite excited. I'd heard so much about this comedy that takes a real-life look at relationships and doesn't create some Hollywood story of romantic impossibility. After watching the movie, though, I can't say I was satisfied. I felt like instead of watching a comedy, I'd just watched a horrible tragedy--one I would have been happier to have missed.
From the beginning of the movie, we are introduced to the main characters, Brooke and Gary, played by Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, respectively. We see how they met, fell in love, and through a series of photographs we see that they have a fun relationship filled with good times, great friends, and a lot of love. It all seems perfect, until they get into an argument. The argument is a small one, but it quickly turns into a huge fight, bringing to the surface all the dysfunction in the relationship that photographs just don't depict. All too soon, Gary and Brooke decide to break up.
Unfortunately for the ex-couple, they live together, and neither one of them is willing to pack up and move out of the home they share. They are both too stubborn to give up the home, and thus the anger and frustration between them grows as they try to live separate lives in the same space. They begin to purposely hurt each other in order to gain the upper hand, and their tactics get more and more cruel and extreme. Although it is evident that both Brooke and Gary would like to end their fight and try to work things out, neither one of them can give up the chance to have the last word, and so the relationship continues its downward spiral throughout the movie.
Sure, The Break-Up is sort of realistic, or at least it doesn't create a typical fantasy ending. But the problem, at least for me, is that this movie takes reality a little bit too far. Gary and Brooke aren't just mad at each other; they're furious. They don't simply say unkind things; they say the nastiest things they can think of. They aren't merely cruel to one another; they try to ruin each other's lives. Although a lot of this is exaggerated for comic effect, after awhile it got to be too much for me. I almost couldn't stand to watch people treat each other so horribly, comedy or not.
This movie somehow devolves from two people in the midst of a bad break-up to two people living ruthless and unsympathetic lives. They're awful, especially Vaughn's Gary, who goes off on ugly tirades every chance he gets. Vaughn is known for his rapid-fire comedic dialogue in films, and he usually can make almost anyone laugh with his absurd blabbering, but when he's hurling insult after insult, it's not very humorous. I'm sure that some people will still find him entertaining, but watching cruelty masked as humor just doesn't please me.
To be fair, there are definitely a few funny moments in The Break-Up. As I mentioned earlier, Vince Vaughn is like a professional motor mouth, and when he's not being cruel, he can be amusing, even though I don't think this happens very often in this film. There is also a particularly funny scene in which the couple's families meet for one big dinner, but credit the supporting cast for providing the best laughs of the movie.
Overall, The Break-Up simply isn't funny enough to warrant all the screaming and scheming that take over the plot. With or without a few laughs, this movie is not enjoyable to watch. It's also definitely not appropriate for kids. Even without the sexual content (which it does have!) kids shouldn't have to witness such nastiness in action. It wouldn't be a healthy example at all.
To its credit, The Break-Up does try to have a redeeming ending, and a very realistic one at that. This is probably the best part of the movie, but after watching so much misery come before it, the ending is bittersweet at best. I was left with the feeling that these people never should have known each other. I think they could have learned their lessons in life some other way. And I definitely could have gotten the message without having to sit through such a cringe-inducing film.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
This DVD has all the standard extras but also a few fun bonuses. There is an alternate ending which could make for some good conversation, and there is also an interactive tour of Chicago. Not everyone will be interested in that, but I, being a sucker for any kind of tour, thought it was pretty cool!
DVDBLOG RECOMMENDS:
If you decide to watch this one, prepare for lots of yelling and cruel actions. If that's not what you're looking for, choose something else.
AFTER THE SHOW:
* How could both Gary and Brooke have handled their very first argument differently and thus changed the course of their lives?
* Why is it so important to listen, communicate and forgive in any relationship? Use examples from the movie to support your answer.
* In what ways does each character seem to have changed for the better at the end of the movie? Why do you think this change occurs?
AH
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