Saw "The Break-Up" last night - SAVE YOUR MONEY - DON'T!!!

[IdaBriggs]

No spoilers here, but a flat out warning: I was tempted to demand my money back!

This train wreck of a movie gave the impression it was supposed to be a romantic comedy -- and it was NOT!!!

Yes, there were some funny bits, and overall, I thought the acting was good, but the third part of the movie did not seem to belong to the first two thirds of the film.

The entire theater where I saw it was shaking their heads afterwards; we aren't talking "chick flick" -- we're talking somebody is slowly pulling your fingernails out, while you sit there waiting for them to stop, because seriously, they really CAN'T be doing that, right?

The part that infuriated me the most was that the first two thirds of the film *were* entertaining, and very true to life. A silly fight escalated into the mother of all "you don't love me / understand me", with me laughing in the "been there, done that!" fashion. Even the "I'll show you!" escalations were understandable (if immature), and again funny. Who hasn't occasionally done something really stupid in an effort to "teach someone" they love a lesson?

But the final third of the film! UGH!!! Why on earth did I pay money for this?

Again, *NOT* a romantic comedy -- not even a good drama -- just a train wreck, with the audience left wondering why the hell they even bothered to get on.

[murielm99]

1. I wouldn't have gone in the first place,

because I can't stand Vince Vaughn.

I won't say it is his appearance, because I don't like it when people base their opinions based on that. Let's just say that his appearance only adds to the negative feelings I have for him.

But he strikes me as one of those macho-bullshit testosterone poisoned types that I avoided when I was dating.

Plus, I don't think he is a good actor. I think he is capable only of those one-dimensional so-called comedic characters.

[IdaBriggs]

4. He and Jennifer both did a good job at the acting, I thought.

There were a lot of pure "facial reaction" shots where you could actually read the minds of the characters. They were both hurt and upset, and they acted like spiteful children. By the time they both started acting like "real grown-ups" who were taking responsibility for their own actions, you were left with two different movies, and a strong impression that you'd been used as a punching bag for other people to work through their relationship baggage.

[Frank Cannon]

2. Agree completely

I, too, was suckered in because it was marketed as a whacky romantic comedy that even guys might like. It was anything but.

The second half of the movie is really like watching your friends or relatives argue visciously with each other. It's that bad and that unfunny, and you feel like you should get up and leave and just let them hash it out on their own.

Avoid at all costs.

[IdaBriggs]

3. I wouldn't be so harsh in my opinions if the marketing hadn't been so

MISLEADING. I was in the mood for some light, frivolous fun. I also got invested in the character with the first two thirds, and then WHAM! Also, the whole thing could have been halted with some good communication skills, or the female character not acting so freaking co-dependent, but again, for the first two thirds of the film, I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt, and I did feel the characters "grew" as it progressed. I go back to trainwreck....(shudder)....

[huskerlaw]

5. I disagree

It would have been RIDICULOUS for it to have ended any other way. Given what they were fighting about, how do you fix that? A typical "aww, they're back together and in love and life is wonderful and oh look how cute they are" ending would have been a complete cop-out.

Perhaps it wasn't a romantic comedy, in that it was actually somewhat realistic. :shrug:

[IdaBriggs]

7. Hence the problem with the misleading marketing.

And it could have been worked out with a better ending -- my husband and I had some of the same problems, and the first couple of years of our relationship was filled with more break-up/make-up sessions than I can possibly count. The thing is we figured stuff out, learned to communicate, and worked things out because we loved each other. Most people in long term relations go through the "how to figure out how to BE in a relationship stuff" and we want to look back and laugh at our earlier foolishness. For example, I *totally* felt for both characters with the "he wants to cave/she's focused on preparing for their guests" stuff. Even the petty, vindicative stuff was (mostly) forgivable.

These characters were portrayed as loving each other, hence the train wreck analogy. I think this movie had more to do with the Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt break up than with an actual "good" script. I hope she got her issues worked out, but having seen the movie, I'm confident she's not going to have much better luck with her next few relationships, either. :shrug:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

6. It looked lame, to me, in previews anyway. See "Thank You for Smoking"

if it's still around anywhere near you, an intelligent, and hilarious, comedy.

[IdaBriggs]

8. It looked really good. I'll check it out! Thanks for the heads up! nt

[ikojo]

9. The ONLY reason I would see this movie

is because a friend of mine worked on it and I want to see her name in the credits.

[astral]

10. I agree the movie was not worth seeing

although the beginning kinda hooks you in with both of their emotional stuff and that IS from great acting. But the movie itself is not funny, and goes on and on and on and . . . I liked the analogy about fingernails --- one fingernail at a time til all your fingernails and toenails have been pulled out and you HAVE to stay to see if it's going to redeem itself.

It isn't so much that it should have ended different, but it should have had more pulling it along than one more repeat of the same old S--- over and over and over and over again.

It's pathetic, but maybe the point that is made is too true to home for alot of people in this day and age --- pride is stronger than love.

[IdaBriggs]

11. I especially hated the final scene.

It struck me as very well acted, but it was just painful to watch. It really seemed like two different movies glued together -- one about two people who loved each other, and were acting kind of stupid, and another about two people who couldn't figure out how to get off a slow moving train as it headed for a nasty cliff.

[RobinA]

12. I Thought It Was Underrated

It's NOT a romantic comedy, so if you go thinking it will be you will noy get what you paid for. It is, however, sadly realistic of two people in a relationship. It was reasonably well written and it never got off the track on stupid plot twists or characters suddenly acting in ways those people never would have acted.