BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) MARLEY & ME
Jennifer Aniston has made plenty romantic comedies that end up being disposable and forgotten. It’s not that she’s not charismatic, a good actress, or anything like that. I just think she’s put in too many roles that are too much the same. In this movie she co-stars with Owen Wilson, but the dog is the focus. If this movie was just “&Me” and without the “Marley” then it would be just like all of those. But instead, we gain multiple perspectives of a family trying to keep it together. It really surprised me. I expected to be annoyed by it and bored, but the realistic actions of her and Wilson made it a fun ride. I don’t get how Aniston didn’t garner more critical acclaim for this movie. She deserved it.
(THREE) THE BREAK-UP
On the surface this looks like a paint-by-numbers romantic comedy, but the difference here is that it costars Vince Vaughn. For the love of God, Vince Vaughn would never allow that to happen. Instead we get a very pleasant and fun romantic comedy. I love the way this movie uses the city of Chicago. The scene at the ballpark is great and Aniston comes off as a Chicago girl in it despite it really being Vaughn’s home town. These two are a couple in the movie, they live together, and they annoy each other. He screws up and they break up. Neither will leave. Hilarity ensues. No, really… it does!
(TWO) OFFICE SPACE
It’s not a starring role, but Jennifer Aniston’s role in Office Space is very underappreciated. The movie is hilarious and the stuff that goes on in the Office is some of the funniest stuff from the comedy of that decade. I don’t think Peter (Ron Livingston) would have had a second thought or even a conscious if Jennifer Aniston’s character hadn’t made him feel bad. She is stuck in a shitty job and life, but still has something in her to remain the voice of reason. She gets her time to shine too. Her character doesn’t get a chance to do anything in the title location, but working for a TGI Friday parody restaurant. The stuff about wearing more “flare” and the getting fired/quitting scene rock and I think are embedded in a lot of people’s brains.
(ONE) THE GOOD GIRL
This 2002 dark comedy/drama rocked and never gets any love. The story is about a lower middle class retail worker who’s married to a stoner house painter in the awesome John C. Reilly. She ends up hooking up with a mysterious young guy played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Shit gets crazy, but in the end it’s a very solid work. What I like about this is that Aniston takes a risk and does an independent movie. By now she’s done a few and has even started her own indie production company. In my mind, I’d think this movie kind of paved the way for her. If you’re a fan of Jennifer Aniston and have NOT seen this movie, do yourself a favor and see it now!
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