Film Review: "The Break-Up" (2006)

Everyone knows about this movie starring Vinnie Vaughn and Jenny Aniston as a shacked-up Chicago couple whose relationship is withering on the vine. They eventually break up but continue living together for a couple of weeks until their condo is sold, and the flick captures the post-split power struggle that goes on between them until they mercifully - finally - go their separate ways.

Despite what you may be thinking, this is not a "chick flick" but is more about what happens when you don't work at it. Vaughn's character is a lazy, out of shape, X-box addicted ham n' egger who refuses to move beyond extended adolescence, while Aniston's Brooke naturally tries her hand at petty games and one-upmanship to try and prove her point.

Although the critics savaged this film, I thought there were a lot of good lines, especially during the fight scenes. For example, when Vaughn threatens to round up some fellas to take out Aniston's brother, he threatens her by saying "I'm talking about a bunch of Pollocks with no goddamn future". More than a few choice laugh-out-loud moments like that save this film from the usual battle-of-the-sexes dreck.

The supporting cast includes the irritating Joey Lauren Adams and the fat, balding and even-more-of-a-dink-than-Vaughn Jon Favreau. However, this film is all Vaughn and Aniston and they don't disappoint. Don't listen to the critics and at least pick it up when it comes out on DVD. (Oh, and did I mention you get to see Jenny's bum?)

And as someone once said to me, "In a relationship, you can be 100% right or you can be 100% happy but never both at the same time."

Overall rating: 8/10