The Break-Up (2006) User Reviews

Not quite how the trailers sold it

[JoeJames76 · 7/10 · 24 January 2007]

It is extremely frustrating when a studio deceives you by selling a film as something it is not. The Break-Up is NOT a laugh a minute comedy of he said/she said. It is not the playful battle of the sexes so guiltily enjoyed in Peyton Reed's previous film Down With Love. It is, however, an enjoyable (that's perhaps not the right word) take on the part of a relationship we rarely see in an otherwise romantic comedy.

Centering a film on the ugly side of dating is a risky task, which is why it is understandable that the studio would try to sell the "hilarity" of incompatibility. Yet by doing so, the film's trailer really sells short the strength that this film has as a dramatic rendering of an adult relationship gone sour.

Vaughn and Aniston give strong, believable performances as a couple in crisis. Their attraction and chemistry is right, in that you can see these two hooking up, but not exactly hitching up. Neither one deserves the other, as both display their worst faults as their relationship devolves. A strong supporting cast plays their pals caught in the crossfire, with some funny results and some ridiculous mugging at times. Reed does a fine job of hitting the right notes, though the jump between comedy and drama can be a little jarring.

The film tries to realistically deal with a couple's break-up, yet finds truth in the dialogue more often than it does in the actions of its characters. Some honest reactions spill forth from the mouths of the hurt, confused couple dealing with their emotions, but their over-the-top responses by way of making grand purchases and throwing away their hard earned lives and bodies at a whim seem less real and more made in Hollywood.

Still, in the end, without the misleading theatrical trailer and real life romance (and prior break-ups) of the two leads, the film is convincing and entertaining. Just expect a lot more screaming than laughing.

Grade: B

Surprising!

[Empifilmes · 6/10 · 10 June 2022]

This movie exceeded my expectations. Judging by the Cast I thought it would be just another comedian romance. Turned out I was wrong. I'm not saying the movie is great, but it hits differently than the rest. Unlike most of its genre, it is unpredictable and moving, as the massage the film is trying to transmit is important. Through comedy, emotion and expectation, the film manages to take you on a ride of emotions and laughs that really is a war of genres.

Of course the story has problems and some things don't make sense but I think it's ok because I don't look for such things in these kind of movies.

If you want to spend a good hour and a half I recommend you watch it because it will keep you entertained the entire time.

Decent romantic comedy/drama

[lkl6411 · 7/10 · 3 June 2006]

My husband and I went to see this film on its opening night and weren't surprised to see a full theatre.

The movie has its hilarious moments which are interspersed with plenty of uncomfortable, tense arguments as these 2 people who love one another try to one-up each other in the payback mode for the pain in their relationship.

My husband thought it dragged from the middle on a little, although I didn't.

We both left thinking the movie was really funny in some parts, pretty sad and even tragic in others. Overall, we thought the acting was solid & believable and though the ending wasn't expected, it was real and even hopeful.

We both said it was worth seeing, and if you're looking for a fairly real-life view of the life of a struggling relationship, you'll be glad you saw this film.

I left the theatre feeling a little empty, but glad that in real life, these two are together!! Enjoy!

Not your conventional romantic comedy - and that's a good thing

[TheMovieMark · 7/10 · 2 June 2006]

As mama used to say, "The extent of the nourishment you get from your entertainment water is directly related to how deep your well of expectations runs." I always thought mama was a bit too verbose in her metaphorical philosophizing, but there's truth in them there words! Thanks to Hollywood's constant desire to market films based on what they feel they have to trick people into thinking they're about, some audiences will likely go to see The Break-Up, ignore the insinuations of the movie's title, and expect something cute and fluffy. As such, the movie is unfairly saddled with expectations that it can't possibly meet for no other reason than the simple fact that this is NOT a conventional "chick flick" romantic comedy that will warm those little heart cockles and send you floating out of the theater on a cotton candy cloud. After a chance meeting at a Cubs/White Sox baseball game, an "opening credit relationship photo montage" creatively establishes that Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are a couple. Just not for much longer. You see, Jennifer is busy cooking for a family dinner. Vince's only responsibility is to bring home 12 lemons so that she can create a centerpiece for the dinner table. So what does he do? Brings home three. Jen's understandably agitated. Rather than dutifully go get the extra lemons, Vince tries to find alternatives that will allow him to just sit on the couch and play video games until everybody arrives. Perhaps use the lemons to flavor the chicken since he tasted it and thought it was a little too spicy anyway? Maybe place them in a glass and create a smaller centerpiece? Yeah, it's fairly clear which three letters he puts in "class." This leads to his lack of desire to help with the dishes later that evening. Oh, he'll help with them in the morning, but Jen really wants them done tonight. Fifteen minutes of work won't kill the guy, right? When Jen expresses her disdain for the lack of appreciation he shows her, he goes into a character-exposing rant and declares his desire to just be left alone. Jen's had enough and decides to grant him his wish. Commence with the break-up and the emotional tug-of-war that carries the majority of the movie. This is where some audiences might get lost. Why? Probably because it feels so real, and sometimes reality doesn't always sell. People still love fairy tales, you know? The arguments and hard-feelings that slowly develop will likely hit home with anybody who has gone through a break up, and I have no doubt that many, if not most, guys will fill a little discomfort when they see some of themselves in Vince. The thing I appreciated the most is despite his penchant for being a jerk, Vince isn't adorned with a black hat and presented to us for our jeering. It's just the way he is. He likes doing things his way. He treats his friends and brothers in the same manner, but they still love the guy and like hanging out with him; he just needs to learn to accept doing things he might not want to for the people he loves. He's likable and funny enough that we root for him to learn the lesson. Likewise, Jennifer isn't placed on a pedestal with a golden halo on her head. Though she's the more sympathetic of the two, she still resorts to playing dirty and isn't allowed to come off completely innocent. Perhaps the character flaws won't play well with the "give me idealistic characters!" crowd, but I found them refreshingly realistic. The movie's focal point is the often volatile chemistry between Vince and Jennifer, which I thought was great, but the supporting characters are also very effective, albeit underused. Vince has some show-stealing scenes with Jason Bateman and particularly one with Jon Favreau (and his ever-increasing girth) that are so good that you can't help but be disappointed that there aren't more to savor. Speaking of disappointment, go ahead and prepare yourself for the potential of more as the closing credits begin to scroll. I admit that I wanted a little more closure than I was given, and that seemed to be the audience consensus. I suppose we should admire the screenwriters for sticking by their guns and refusing to tie all the loose ends as tightly as test audiences have demanded, but that doesn't mean we have to be happy about it. I could have handled it better had it not felt so abrupt and left me feeling a little incomplete. But it certainly doesn't ruin the movie. You just need to check your expectations and give the film a fair chance. Don't be a pawn of the marketing team's efforts to mislead audiences into the door. If you're a Vince fan I would also advise you not to expect the Johnny Jump-Up zaniness of The Wedding Crashers or Dodgeball. The Break-Up is a movie of a different breed. Abandoning the temptation to deliver a consistently uproarious comedy romp, The Break-Up deliberately balances itself with dramatic conflict, and gives us something a little different than what Hollywood has forced us to become accustomed to. It doesn't do it flawlessly, but at least it makes the attempt.

Rachel And The Wedding Crasher

[helenkmessler · 6/10 · 12 July 2006]

You all know the story. I don't think anyone would have expected it to be so loud, but the story is that one. The break up of two people who were not suppose to be together in the first place. He is that obnoxious guy offering her a hot dog. She meets him at the same time we do. I would have run as far as possible as fast as possible but apparently there was something about this slightly deranged tourist guide who likes to play video games that appealed to her. Well, so, my dear you deserve every bit you're going to get. Vince Vaughn has all the "funny' lines and she is like a farcical woman from yesteryear, dating other guys to make him jealous. I'm not kidding, that's what she does, while he goes to visit Jon Favreau - the best bits in the film - to cry his miseries to the one other character more moronic than himself. Glimpses of Judy Davis, Ann-Margret and Vincent D'Onofrio give the movie an unexpected lift but, dear me, dear me. Rush to see the films of Preston Sturges, I'm talking to the filmmakers naturally. The awful part of the whole thing is that I found myself laughing and that as far as 2006 comedies is not half bad. Isn't that just terrible?

if you're a sado-masochist this movie is for you!

[cdpandjcm · 1/10 · 22 October 2006]

If you think the spelling of comedy is t-r-a-g-e-d-y or d-r-a-m-a, then you'll love this movie. At best adult content not fit for children- unless you think they need to be exposed to other people doing stupid, adult games. I recommend counseling with a good psychiatrist for the idiot who rated it pg-13. I don't recommend this for adults in good relationships and highly recommend don't watch if you are in an, at best, rocky relationship. Empathise with the characters at your own risk. What was the moron's name who called this a comedy? I spent two hours searching the web to find a program to play the DVD and wish I hadn't bothered. If there is a sequel I wouldn't waste the money to rent it, let alone watch it. Come for the pain because there is nothing worth a laugh in this film. The performances by the actors was stellar, what a shame this one was mislabeled as a comedy.

Break up of what, exactly?

[seansyd2 · 6/10 · 1 June 2006]

OK, so Vince is funny as always. He skillfully delivers a slew of funny one liners. And of course Jen is beautiful, as expected. (there is a not-to-miss scene of her that just hammers home the mistake Mr. Pitt has made...) In the movie they break up, as advertised. Unfortunately other than these assets the movie offers little that one would expect from a romantic comedy. Think of Spanglish, not of any movie from the 90's with Meg Ryan. Whats missing here is any real reason for them to stay together. What we end up with is an at-times-funny movie that fails to sell itself to us because it displays no real value in their relationship. The result is that other than feeling a bit sorry for the characters, we don't really except what the plot tries to sell us; that they should keep trying to get back together. Its a bit of a sad movie in that all we are left with is a pretty strong feeling that they really should break up.

" Pick A Side" --- Tagline For "The Break-Up"

[Robert_Hearth · 4/10 · 17 December 2006]

"The Break-Up" (2006)

Directed By: Peyton Reed

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Judy Davis, & Justin Long

MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (for sexual content, some nudity and language)

"The Break-Up" is probably most famous for sparking the famous relationship of Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. Think about it as the "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" for the couple. The only difference is that "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" was a fun, entertaining movie and "The Break-Up" is anything but. In fact, this is one of the least entertaining and joyless movies I have seen this year. We all know how hard and awkward break-ups can be. "The Break-Up" analyzes this with very little compromise. In fact, it puts this failing couple into one of most awkward situations imaginable--having them share a condo until they can sell it. The real question, though, is not how they will handle this situation…but, why should we really want to see it? Why do we want to see two people bicker and complain for an hour and forty or so minutes? Why do we want to experience all of the awkward moments that come with this scenario? The answer is that, of course, we don't want to do anything of these things. Herein lays the problem with "The Break-Up". It is a movie that we just don't want to see filled with characters we don't really care about.

Gary Grobowski (Vaughn) and Brooke Meyers (Aniston) were once a loving couple who had everything they thought they needed: each other, a wonderful condo, and jobs that were certain to propel them to bigger and better things. But, now, the relationship is over and neither of them can afford to pay for the mortgage without each other…and so they are having to sell, but, until they find a buyer, they must live together. Both, still bitter over the difficult break-up, decide to make each other miserable by flirting with other people, inviting loud friends over, quartering the condo up into different compartments, and more. But, will they realize that they really do love each other and reconcile…or is this break-up for good? If you have ever watched a romantic comedy, you know that the entire movie circles around you wanting desperately for the couple to be happy and together at the end. I didn't feel that way at all about the couple in "The Break-Up". In fact, I only wanted them to go their separate ways and to stop the annoying arguing and the backstabbing. Vince Vaughn's character, Gary, in particular, was horribly annoying whenever Aniston's character, Brooke, was around, and, while Brooke was at least likable, many of her actions seemed mean and reprehensible. How could anyone want these two to get together? The relationship was just bothersome and aggravating.

How could "The Break-Up" not work? It had a great cast and the director of "Down with Love" (a bitter, yet hilarious romantic comedy) and "Bring It On" (a hip, edgy teen comedy) behind it? This movie seemed like a sure bet and yet it just doesn't work. It isn't romantic. It isn't funny. It is awkward and the constant arguing gets old very quickly. The characters, themselves, are indeed very strange--almost like parodies of real people, but the movie takes itself far too seriously to allow them to seem realistic. The two main characters are not made out to be people we can really care about. Gary, especially, is despicable for the majority of the movie and Brooke, though the only main character with which we can sympathize, does her fair share of mean things. On top of all of this, where was the humor? Was this supposed to be a comedy? If so, then it is one of the least effective comedies of the year. On a warmer note, Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn give great performances and the actual break-up (and ensuing arguments) are handled realistically. The only problem is: why would anyone really want to see them?

Final Thought: Despite good performances from the leads, "The Break-Up" is an awkward, unfunny movie that fails to engage its audience.

Overall Rating: 4/10 (C+)

Ahead of its time in Rom-Com genre breaking

[jackgdemoss · 6/10 · 18 September 2019]

The cast is allstar. The banter is fairly witty and entertaining. The premise is enticing for its boldness in shying away from the expected in a romcom. All of the above isn't enough to make anything great happen in The Break-Up. It seems that as a viewer, I wasn't prepared to enjoy anything other than the classic formula in this genre, and that is likely entirely my fault.

Unlikeable characters

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 16 November 2013]

Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) is a loud mouth boorish Neanderthal who works as a tour guide in Chicago. Brooke Meyers (Jennifer Aniston) works at an art gallery and feels completely neglected by him. They fight and they break up. Only neither of them are willing to move out of their luxury apartment and a war of the sexes ensues.

He is an insensitive idiot. It's not a new character for Vince and it's getting tiresome. She's a high maintenance girlfriend disguised as the girl next door. Again it's not a new character. They are not likable characters and I'm getting tired of the actors doing the same thing over and over again. They don't make for a good couple, and they don't have good chemistry. They should never be together in the first place. The only good thing is that they don't get back together.

This is meant to be a comedy. But there is too much serious anger and hate to be funny. It had a chance of this being a dark comedy, but nobody here could figure out how to make one.

A Drama With Comedic Elements - The Promotional Trailers Attempt to Mislead Us Again

[[e-mail] · 8/10 · 4 June 2006]

The Break-Up is a highly watchable drama that contains elements of cleaver comedy. Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Anniston put in solid performances in a film that feels strikingly real at times.

The Break-up does not play out as a light-hearted comedy with a predictable wrap-up in the last five minutes. The Break-Up reveals the very human side of a failed relationship and its potential reconciliation. Yes, there are some very funny scenes. However, as the misalignment of expectations quickly unfolds the movie reveals its true self.

The Break-up does a more than credible job of displaying many of the aspects of how people deal with conflict and remorse. Many of the situations play all-in-one as funny, sad and realistic.

The bottom line is that the Break-Up is solid film built with Hollywood money and stars that chooses a route its benefactors rarely allow to be taken. This fact alone makes the movie worth viewing.

Actually really good and realistic

[nivethanin · 7/10 · 10 June 2019]

Title says it all. Both actors do a great charismatic job and it's interesting to see both perspectives of the break up... also oretty realistic...

No depth - even for a comedy

[lch100 · 3/10 · 27 December 2008]

If you're looking for a romantic comedy that has real warmth of relationships and a sense that something was actually gained by their experience, look elsewhere. Aniston seems remarkably old (save the die-for bod) than the boyish, immature Vaughn, yet her character has the emotional IQ of a young teen. Jason Bateman is the only actor that brings something a bit interesting or unexpected to his role, but he disappears into the one-dimensional background of the film along with all the other split-second characters. These people are generally pretty boring and the lead characters leave us with one rather "discount-bin" message: "Watch this movie because we're both cute and popular stars." I'd like to see Vaughn play a deep and serious, dramatic role and I'd like to see Aniston cross over to a mature role closer to her age--with some real, dramatic depth.

Quite enjoyable

[Floated2 · 7/10 · 10 November 2018]

There have been several romantic comedies which have seemingly came and went and seemed to be forgotten. The Break-Up was quite a success at both arguably the peaks and primes of Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston's career. They deliver great performances and the chemistry shows throughout which is the main reason as to why this film worked as it does, as they both make it more enjoyable than need be. Vaughn is funny in his deliver and mannerisms and Jennifer Aniston is quite lovely, and although unlikable at times, the character works.

With little knowledge of the film expect remembering hearing about its success years ago, one was cautious of watching as many romantic comedies tend to be overly try-hard funny, or too emotional and romantic, and predictable.

The Break-Up feels quite different in sense though somewhat feels as a plot for a television series. What is quite good and different in the film is that it doesn't try too hard at being romantic and lovely. And within the end, we see that a happy ending isn't always the most predictable one.

Recommend for those not typically into the typical romantic comedies but something to be more relaxed in and not think too much.

Delightful War of Sexes

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 16 December 2006]

In Chicago, the art dealer Brooke Meyers (Jennifer Aniston) feels not appreciated and neglected by her immature husband Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn), who is partner of his two brothers in a tourism business, and decides to break-up with him to make Gary misses her. Gary misunderstands her true intention, both follows the wrong advices of family members and friends, beginning a war of sexes with no winner.

"The Break-up" is a surprisingly good dramatic comedy, showing a delightful war of sexes between a young couple that is misguided by family members and friends. The story is well constructed, has many funny moments, it is never corny and has a wonderful conclusion, different from the usual clichés of Hollywood movies. The charming and gorgeous Jennifer Aniston and the nice Vince Vaughn show an amazing chemistry and have great performances with an excellent cast, and Judy Davis is unrecognizable in the role of Marilyn Dean. The alternate ending in the Extras of the DVD is simply awful, and could have spoiled this good movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Separados Pelo Casamento" ("Separated by Marriage")

Funny? No. Romantic? No. Well-made? No. Realistic? Sort of. Disappointing? A BIG YES!!

[andlaw99 · 2/10 · 19 June 2006]

Well, everyone seems to be concentrating on the fact that this was advertised as a romantic comedy and it is neither romantic, nor a comedy. That is definitely true.

Aside from that, however, it is a poorly-made movie. The timing is off (comic and otherwise), the editing is off pace, and the writing is clunky. I've read a lot of user comments that mention the fantastic "depth of character". Let me just say that having characters that act like immature jerks instead of typical movie star characters does not automatically qualify as character development—it's just different and new, not real "character development". There are many characters that we get to know a little and are left with NO wrap-up for. The main characters are the only ones we get closure for, but even they are not people we really care about by the end of the movie. I felt when we left the theater that Aniston and Vaughn had so little chemistry it's hard to believe they developed a romance off the set.

The biggest problem is consistency. If you're going to make Vaughn's character a beyond believable inconsiderate jerk, this same character would not make a 180 degree turn around after a short erudite "pep talk" from his bartender friend. By the same token, if you're going to make Aniston's character the kind of person who would put up with this behavior for so long, she would NOT in real life totally change her mind about him a few days after sobbing in her bedroom about their relationship when he finally makes the list of changes she wants (minus the bowl of lemons and ballet tickets he should have had on that table with the dinner).

As an aside, I know that I am probably the only one who feels this way, but the language was much rougher than I was expecting. If you go to see Lethal Weapon 18, you expect F's and GD's galore, but it really took me by surprise in a romantic comedy, especially since there are so many GD's in the first 15 minutes of the movie. I just mention it for the record.

All in all, I would pay another $15 just to have that two hours of my life back. And while we're at it, I am really sick of the marketing geniuses advertising movies in such a way that you have no idea what you're walking into. It makes the viewer give it even worse word-of-mouth than they would have otherwise. You can bet I've already written an email to all my friends telling them what a huge disappointment this movie was and to avoid it.

To sum up: Sloppy execution, poor characters, inconsistent follow-through, and a really crappy ending. Save this one for DVD… and even then, wait for it to be taken off the "new releases" wall so you don't have to pay as much for it, or better yet, maybe you'll get lucky and your library will carry it and you will be able to pay NOTHING for it… which is basically what it's worth.

The rarest of beasts- a genuinely good Hollywood rom-com

[Ruskington · 7/10 · 1 August 2020]

In amongst the conveyor-belt of dreadful and repetitive Hollywood comedies, I finally found something of actual quality. What separates The Break-Up from the usual claptrap is the fact that it has a thoroughly believable love story at the centre of it. Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Anniston both give career-best performances (in my opinion anyway) and the terrain of a relationship breakdown is explored delicately and authentically. There was an episode of Friends where the relationship between Ross and Rachel comes to an abrupt end and the quality of acting from Anniston and David Schwimmer was exceptional. The Break-Up is kind of like a movie-length version of that episode.

On top of that, there is plenty of good comedy without all the toilet humour and sex jokes that plague these type of rom-coms. Vaughn is the only member of the infamous 'fratpack' who has any actual comedic talent and it shows here.

I also love the way the story wraps up which is refreshingly realistic. The writers chose not to take the expected route and the film is all the better for it. If this movie was a piece of foreign cinema with unknown actors, I'm confident it would be rated an awful lot higher.

Tedious, drawn out, not funny, lame, uninspiring.

[xolt · 2/10 · 25 June 2006]

Well well well, this film was simply atrocious. The worst film I have seen in the last two to three years.

The breakup advertised as romantic comedy is anything but. I can't begin to describe how disappointed I was sitting through this movie.

Nothing made me relate to the characters and their infantile behavior. They both came across as whining spoilt brats.

The pace of the film is slow and pointless. Arguments, shouting and bickering don't make for light or romantic entertainment.

Silly "votes" between good friends as to who is staying at the bowling game are just cringe factor, good grief do people really behave this way? certainly not my circle of friends. It was just embarrassing to watch.

Not much redeeming in this film a few short laughs, one of the better ones being when their real estate agent friend offers to sell their home and wants to do so at no commission. BUT unfortunately company policy wont allow it so he has to charge it hahaha that was the funniest bit in the film. How sad :( I would have given it one star except for that real estate agent part LOL.

AVOID THIS FILM AT ALL COSTS !!! A great gift for that person you don't really like but have to buy for appearances sake :)

A Very Good RomCom

[Duzniak38 · 7/10 · 3 August 2006]

The Break-Up is a very enjoyable movie, which basically follows the lives of Brooke and Gary, a couple whose relationship is breaking apart because of Gary's poor efforts to appreciate his partner. The Break-Up is not your usual clichéd fluffy chick flick, which is a change for once and a nice breath of fresh air in it's genre. Jennifer Anniston and Vince Vaughn both play their roles to perfection; Anniston as the fed-up overworked houseworker/artist who doesn't get any help around the house from her partner. He doesn't help her to clean the dishes, he won't take her out to places she enjoys like the ballet, he buys the incorrect gifts and products for her and he doesn't appreciate how much she works for him and has appalling please's and thank you's. And Vaughn plays the lazy male partner who can't compliment his girlfriend, very well. He is a great actor at complaining and delivers his lines and scenes brilliantly. So, after a large meal with both Brooke and Gary's family, in which the couple argue their way through, Brooke has had enough of Gary's slobbish ways. The way he ignores her, and just wants to play video games and watch the match without helping her at all. Anyway as the arguments ensue, we begin to feel sympathetic for each character in a different light. First we feel sorry for Brooke because of how much she is put through, without any support around the house from Gary. Then as Brooke begins to spite Gary and try to make him feel down, so he will come back to her, (by her dating other men), we feel a little upset for Gary. Then, as the film develops we discover that both of them are now going to have to try and fight to keep their condo. Gary moves out his bedroom and lives in the living room on the sofa bed, while Brooke lives and sleeps in the bedroom. Division and fighting continues throughout the home. They continue to squabble about things such as what they can and can't do and where they can and can't go. For the next few weeks, Brooke and Gary try to upset and annoy each other. Brooke tries to date men in order to get Gary jealous and to try and win him back over envy. But she never quite wins the situation and never quite finds the right guy to get Gary back to her. Meamwhile Gary just lazes around the living room, doesn't clean up for himself and he buys a pool table to annoy Brooke, after their arguing over the fact that they can't have one. He also has a poker night in which he brings strippers home. This game of fighting in order to annoy one another provides plenty of laughs and great lines and scenes for the audience, and also works by helping wound their relationship even further, and making their division even wider. After a mishap of the two trying to host a 'game night,' in which Gary has bitter feeling for some of Brooke's friends who betrayed him after the split, Brooke and Gary's friend, who is also a Realtor, decides to help them sell the house and split their money so they can go their separate ways. Emotions and feelings start to play on the audience. We see how far the two have drifted apart, and feel completely sorry for Brooke's character, who only wanted to be loved by her husband, and after their split, wanted nothing than to be together again. Brooke then invites Gary for one last concert, hoping that they can mend some of the cuts in their split. But after he never shows, Brooke has had enough. She cries in front of Gary and spells out how all she ever wanted from him was appreciation. Gary feels sorry for her, and feels ashamed, but cannot fix what has been broken between them. After Gary cleans the condo and cooks a meal for the two of them, he tells Brooke his true love for her, but she doesn't feel the same. The two never get back together but the film ends on a smiley, happy note, as the two meet a year or so later, and are still good friends. The acting, as I have mentioned before, is on top form. The two leads play their drama so excellently, you would find it hard to believe the two aren't a real couple. Excellent characters also include Judy Davis as Marilyn, the rather eccentric artist who provides great comical value and John Michael Higgins as Richard, the crazy gay brother of Brooke, who once again adds some comedy on the side of this rather serious drama between the two leads. The script is good, with plenty of jokes, especially from Vaughn who is never a let down at delivering the humour while acting completely serious. The sets are rather nice, the condo is an attractive place. The soundtrack was nothing special and pretty unforgettable. However the many redemption's of this movie; the un-clichéd ending and the decent plot, followed by outstanding acting makes the Break-Up a very enjoyable experience. Not your average chick flick -- which is a good thing.

Not a convincing remake or maybe rehash ..watch About Last Night instead

[ctgarrett · 3/10 · 2 June 2006]

Does anyone remember "About Last Night" with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. Two people meet fall into a relationship and move in together. Then the couple has a fight and proceed to follow the advice of their friends instead of their hearts and winds up more deeply in love and understanding of one another but separated.

Rob Lowe meets Demi Moore at a company softball game. Vince Vaughn meets Jennifer Aniston at a pro baseball game. They fight and break up and follow the advice of their friends. Rob Lowe listens to his buddy in the bar Jim Belushi (and at work). Vince listens to his buddy at the bar Jon Favreau, Vince has a brother giving him ill-advice at work. Demi Moore listens to Elizabeth Perkins. Jennifer listens to Joey Lauren Adams. Doing a nice comedic turn as usual.

Neither are getting good advice and screw up the relationship badly, till it is almost unrepairable. This was like an extended episode of the TV show "Men Behaving Badly" mixed in with an episode of Oprah on proof that Men Don't Listen!

STAY AWAY........STAY AWAY....... unless you think Jennifer got a nice tush and you want to see it.

At least Rob Lowe and Demi Moore had on screen chemistry. You want to see them make it. I laughed at all the wrong moments in the Break Up.

Rob Lowe and Demi Moore ride off into the sunset at the end of their movie. She rides her bike and he runs after her.

****SPOILER ALERT****

At least the Break Up didn't cop out at the ending. They don't get back together. They run into each sometime later. They only give you a hint that they have feelings for each other without laying it on too thick.

Simply Fantastic

[sixdayssouth · 10/10 · 8 November 2006]

Honestly, I was completely shocked by this film. I didn't see it in theaters because it honestly didn't look like the type of film I would typically find appealing. But when the DVD was released, I snatched it up in a hurry because my wife loves romantic comedies. And that's exactly what we thought we were going to get. Instead we got a poignant, heartfelt and almost painfully realistic piece of insight into the psychology and calamity of two people struggling to hold onto something they never had ahold of in the first place: love.

First of all, I must say that Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston were absolutely fantastic. I'm a huge fan of Vince's and I've enjoyed Jennifer in most of the films I've seen her in, but I've never appreciated either of them as much as I did in The Break-up. Their acting was directly on-target. The initial fight scene (when the break-up actually occurs) was so phenomenal I actually paused the movie when it was over just to take it all in. I've never seen two people on screen portray a 'lovers quarrel' so accurately and realistically. Hats off to Jen and Vince for an outstanding performance.

The movie definitely has its funny moments. Vince brings his usual fast-talking wit to the screen and that's an instant recipe for comedy in my book. But what I really took from this movie, as someone who is in a committed relationship and understands (as well as the average person can) the complexities of love, was its underlying message. Love is not all moonlight and roses; it's not always romantic, it's not always fun and it's sure as hell not always easy. But hard work, dedication and a solid foundation of love and respect can bring two people through just about anything together. This movie is absolutely brilliant and I'd recommend it to anyone, but especially married couples or people in committed relationships.

Film Was Disappointment - THIS is Film-making??

[prosound-2 · 2 June 2006]

Gay jokes, clichés and other minor details aside...did ANYONE notice the continuous visual blooper of the BOOM MIKE CONSTANTLY BOBBING UP AND DOWN ABOVE THE ACTORS HEADS thruout MANY scenes in the film?? Reading the reviews from EBERT, and other "distinguished" film reviewers, no one seemed to notice this or care that it made the final cut of the film.

They spent better than a month in Chicago to reshoot the end of the movie because word has it the test audiences didn't like the way the original cut of the film ended, spent many hundreds of thousands on non-union extras, rental of equipment, food, paying the actors outrageous sums of money to make this turkey, and the director, the producer, the film editors and the production people at Universal Studios can't even properly frame a scene so that the boom mike doesn't show on camera??? I'd expect that kind of amateur editing from teen filmmakers at Columbia College, but UNIVERSAL?? What happened, Mr Reed? Fall asleep watching the rushes??

Outside of the fact that many of the characters were shallow and unnecessary (somebody actually PAID Ann Margret to make a cameo appearance and sit like a bump on a log at the dinner table scene when a no-name extra could have done just as well), the film felt uneven and stopped being funny about 30 minutes in. All the hoo-haa, interviews on Letterman & Leno, Vince And Jen romance PR and the unnecessary media circus they did for this flick could have been saved by delaying the release of the film until they found a professional to edit and frame it properly, and THEN develop the characters to more resemble people we can care about.

The end scene where Vince and Jen accidentally "bumped into" each other in front a store some months after their breakup concluded with Jen and Vince flashing a little smile at each other before they walked their separate ways. I imagine they were both thinking "we pulled off a nice little publicity scam, and got paid WAAAAYYY more than we're worth, and the public came to see us anyway..."

This is film-making? Apparently it's easier to scam the public than I thought......

A Nutshell Review: The Break-Up

[DICK STEEL · 6/10 · 23 August 2006]

The real life relationship between Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston probably casted a cynical shadow over this movie, given its ominously sounding title about the end of relationships. Not that it's played out in an unbelievable manner, but this is a classic case of real life causing an unwanted effect on reel life.

In a courtship that spanned up until the end of the opening credits, that's familiar grounds to the real/reel couple as we see them so utterly in love with each other. And it's not before long that the lack of nine lemons became the spark of a heated, long drawn argument. It's the littliest things that always matter and provide the catalyst for unwanted trouble, and the lack of appreciation somehow almost always provide ample ammunition to the start of a cold war.

This movie had the effect of trotting the fine line between the two parties, though I must say that I stand on the side of Aniston's Brooke, rather than Vaughn's Gary. Perhaps that's because I've weaned myself off video games. Anyway, from a spectator's point of view without taking sides because of sexes, her requests (if you call them that) seem reasonable enough, in any relationship which is about give and take. So if you were to ask me who's right or wrong, I've already made my stand.

But while the movie dwells on the confusion of the situation made worse by a common living space and mortgage (money has to do with everything, no doubt), it's some same old grounds that many romance movies had already tread upon, exploring the pain of breaking up and losing someone you had taken for granted, except that because of the premise of this movie, it had to be played out in a more extensive manner. It takes a long look at the games people play to get back at each other, and the saying of things that you don't really mean in the heat of the moment, the skewing of meanings, and the explosion after keeping what you abhor about someone inside you for so long (that's for keeping things under the carpet during good times). There's also quite a realistic take on the running to friends and family for emotional support, and the difficulty of being caught in the middle of things especially when you're friends of both.

Between the two leads, the pain of the break can be most visibly seen in Jennifer Aniston, and there are no doubts as to where she could have drawn the strength from to play her emotional wrecking scenes. Vince Vaughn again looked like he sleepwalked through a role (not that it mattered, given the character), but I thought that his portrayal didn't really bring out that tinge of regret or believable sadness at the whole event.

Can you become friends with the person you broke up with? Probably. How deep that friendship can be will depend on the circumstances behind the breakup, and of course how willing each party is to bury the past and carry on as friends. It could be in an extreme superficial manner, which I would think now, why bother at all?

The city of Chicago provided the backdrop of another recent movie - The Lake House, in a story about love and hope. Here, it turned the other way and became the city where love and hope had faded, and those who have undergone a break up of sorts can experience the bittersweet aftertaste. Did I mention the almost unrecognizable Justin Long's awfully fugly take as an effeminate co-worker? Ewww....

The Breakup of a good idea

[mgordon69 · 2/10 · 25 June 2006]

The basic premise of this film could have been vehicle for a thousand gags and one liners. However, this film tries to take itself a little too seriously for being touted as a comedy. There is some funny shtick buried in this film, but it is spread way too thin to be called a comedy. It does have a chance to redeem itself in the romantic category right up to the end, but literally turns its back on what the audience is expecting - No happy ending. As a result it turns a great premise into a dark comedy and reflects a sad slice of life. Instead of a dark successful comedy like 'War of the Roses', we end up with a film that falls flat. My guess is that the director tried to please everyone with this film instead of following his vision of what the film should be. The resulting film will end up doing poorly even as a DVD rental.

Bleh

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 15 February 2009]

Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are going through "The Break-Up" in this 2006 comedy-drama that also stars Judy Davis, Ann-Margret, Jason Bateman and Vincent D'Onofrio. Vaughn plays a funny guy who is in the Chicago city tour business with his brothers. Aniston is his girlfriend, who works in an art gallery. The two live together in a beautiful condo. We see them when he meets her for the first time at a ballgame; the next time we see them, she is throwing a dinner party, and he isn't helping out. They break up not long after.

I'll just cut to the chase on this one. I wasn't disappointed that it was advertised as a comedy and had dramatic moments. I thought the acting was fine. Vaughn has good delivery, and Jennifer Aniston is a likable actress. There were great performances in good roles by Vincent D'Onofrio, Judy Davis, and Jason Bateman. And there were some very funny scenes.

At 1:47 minutes, fifteen minutes could have been cut. The movie dragged.

Now for my real problem. I read a few reviews on this board, and only one person mentioned this. Why the hell would a bright, well-read, good-looking woman with no end of intelligent, well-read, attractive men asking her out allow herself to be in a relationship with the selfish, irresponsible, nearly Neandrathal slob Vince Vaughn played? I can see that he was a funny guy, and they had good times together - but that's it. And that's not enough. I never got from the Aniston character that she had no self-esteem, but to stay with this guy, and lay out his clothes, and cook, make plans for get-togethers, and do whatever he wanted - she must not have had any. The abrupt change in Vaughn's character was unbelievable as well.

In short, I thought she was too good for him, and why she hadn't figured that out is beyond me. Just not a good script as far as characterizations and believability. The comedy sections were good, but the rest of the script just didn't hang together.