The Break-Up is a romantic comedy, but opposed to popular cliched movies, its about what happens after the couple supposedly lives happily ever after....its the break up. Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston have undeniable chemistry in this unconventional chick flick. The duo passionately argues and displays the emotions and common things couples separate over phenomenally. The movie is about this couple who after some time (they don't tell you exactly how long) has gotten accustomed and so comfortable that they've forgotten to show each other they care. The guy played by Vince Vaughn never wants to help around the house and prefers to play video games, while the girl (Jennifer Aniston) does all the work and feels under-appreciated (yawn, all the same stuff we've heard before). This leads to the inevitable break up that the audience saw coming (hence the title). The movie is all about them bickering and sharing an apartment when they are no longer together. Trying to make each other jealous, and putting on a show that they don't care what the other does, when they clearly still do. By the end it seems they have driven each other to point of hatred for the other, until the guy realizes that he has been selfish and repents, vowing to change his ways. However, what particularly stood out to me in the movie is that it didn't end with them working out their problems and continuing to live this seemingly happily ever after, instead they end up going their separate ways, and run into each other later on, where they share a brief moment of nostalgia about the past, and then continue happily in their new, yet separate lives. It was a breathe of fresh air in my opinion, and I give the movie two thumbs up.
One scene that particularly stood out to me was the scene that ended the movie. Shes walking down the street in early fall, and she's on the phone making a business call (showing that she's got her life together after the break up), and he's coming out with a bunch of groceries and they sort of bump into each other, classic. Then they stop and small talk, and he tells her he's happy and she says she's happy too. And they've both got their lives together, now that they're apart. It kind of showed that sometimes a break up movie doesn't mean a sad ending, that the happily ever after was HAPPY for both of them, just as individuals instead of a couple, and I thought that was a unique message that the director was sending, or at least my interpretation of it! And then they both go their separate ways promising to see each other soon, and the movie ends. I thought it was a good scene, because its very vague and open for interpretation. You don't know if they kind of realized that maybe now that they've both worked on their problems that they can work out as a couple, or if they've decided to stay friends, or if they're genuinely happy on their own and were just making small talk out of respect for who they once were to each other. I just liked that scene and I thought it was a good way to end the movie.
The camera work of this movie was pretty typical of modern day movies. It was a bright movie, typically very good lighting, not many dark scenes. I noticed that the mood of the movie usually effected the way the scene was filmed. For example, there was one dark scene in the movie where she is trying to reconcile with the guy and invites him to a concert which he stands her up at. She is sitting while everyone is standing and dancing around, and I thought the play on the bright lights, reflecting her face in a dark concert hall, was very creative. Cause you would see flashes of her face, but then it would be dark too, and it was a good way to film the scene, and as well as it portrayed her emotion well, kind of dark and hopeless when everything around her was bright and lights were shining. I also thought that the angles they used in the movie were really well, they would sometimes shoot from a low angle looking up, I think to kind of put emphasis on the mood of the movie. You got to see the movie from both the girl and guys perspective, which I also liked, cause it kind of gave you each of their perspective and how they saw the relationship subjectively, making it harder to take a stance as the viewer of who is completely right or wrong. It gives both the characters flaws that makes them both the bad guy and the good guy, which the audience loves.
The director of this movie is Peyton Reed who has also directed the popular cheer-leading movie Bring it On (All or Nothing), and Yes Man with Jim Carry. I think he is pretty consistent in his genre of movies, kind of comedies with a romantic aspect at some point being referenced. What I notice about this director is he uses funny and well known actors, and casts them in roles where they act funny, but there is usually a serious element added to the movie. Like the movie Yes Man, we know Jim Carry as this funny guy who doesn't really portray any moral messages in his movies, yet in that movie its all about saying yes to opportunities, and its shown in a funny light, but still delivers the moral of the movie successfully.
I thought over all the movie was very good. Maybe because I expected very little of it, and thought it would be very typical and cliched, and it proved otherwise, but I was pleasantly surprised! I think this could appeal to a vast audience particularly because it is funny, and the humor could reach both men and women. Generally age wise though, I think its intended for an older or more mature audience, simply because it would be more relatable. There were a few moments in the moment where I completely saw what was coming, and it seemed very predictable, but it was done in a very creative and captivating way. The movie was catchy and fast paced, I didn't get bored and I definitely recommend it!
