Movie Review -- The Breakup

Went to see the Breakup at one of the local AMC's (local to West County Saint Louis that is) and enjoyed the movie a lot more than the critics will lead you to believe. It was funny for about 90% of the flick and touches on a lot of the stuff between men and women without getting all Mars and Venus on us (that would be a bad thing). Or maybe that should be all Dr. Philly on us, since he seems to have replaced Mars and Venus as the prefered peddler of cheap psychology, bad diet advice and over priced nutritional supplements. Any rate, it doesn't get preachy, though if you're into one relationship guru or another, you could probably analyze it through that lens.

The Breakup is the story of a guy who is dating a much hotter girl than he would be able to get if he weren't in a movie or rich. The relationship could never really work in real life, largely because Vince Vaughn's character is like every other Vince Vaughn character and Jennifer Aniston's chracter went to college (granted for art history or something), reads books and has broader interests in the world than touring Chicago, following the Cubs (this hobby, apparently widespread in Chicago, seems to be the sports equivalent of auto-testicular electrocution... unlikely to do anything but cause you pain in the short and long runs), and playing video games. I hate to lift from Chris Rock, but you have to share interests for things to work. One person can't be all going to church while the other is out smoking crack. And while that's an overly dramatic example, you can't have one person interested in the lowest forms of entertainment and one into the higher arts and expect things to work out. So, inevitably perhaps, they break up. Since that's the title of the movie, I don't think I'm spoiling anything there.

One little catch in this neat breakup. They own the world's greatest condo (which is apparently in Chicago. It makes no sense to me either, but that's the movie. I don't write em, I just go and see em). Together. Joint custody. Oh yeah, and for some reason, Jen wants Vince back, assuming that he will change. He must be dynamite in the sack. Since Vince Vaughn has a story credit (in fact, the top story credit), that's probably the case, at least in the backstory. Now here's why Mars and Venus is a better way of understanding things than Dr. Phil is. At this point in the relationship, with M&V, Vince Vaughn might get an insight into what Jen expects from him and actually be motivated to change. Or he might be able to say, "That's just too high a price for the package of goods that I get." Either way, he has some insight. Dr. Phil, on the other hand, would suggest that Vince listen to what Jen is saying. Since she's pretty much not talking to him, and acting as badly as Vince is, Vinny will wind up confused, rather than with the key insight that she wants to get back together with him as long as he will sit through a ballet once in a while and maybe say thanks when she cleans up after him. Jen tells this to her friend, ad nauseum, but never feels that just talking to Vince will change him.

I don't want to spoil the end or anything, but Vince is eventually told by his bartender what he's really like and what it'll probably take to get back with her. Why he's gotta hear it from the bartender, I dunno.

Any rate, I liked the movie except for the last three-to-five scenes which dragged and were kind of pointless unless they are setting up for a completely unneccessary sequel. Lot of funy hi-jinx and some interesting insights (not groundbreaking insights, but interesting) into long term relationships and their conclusions. I give it two and a half stars (out of four), with an extra half star if you have ever ended a relationship that went more than two years.