The Good Girl
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Movie Reviews of The Good Girl
Movie Review: Sleeping Giant of a Film
Summary: 5 Stars
With very little in the way of pre-publicity, THE GOOD GIRL crept into limited release and is only now being disseminated into some more mainstream theaters. There seems to be a trend here in putting the really superb, message films in the small theaters and letting word of mouth propel them into the public eye. And perhaps this technique underlines the importance of these small films - no ballyhoo, just concentrated fine work speaking for itself.THE GOOD GIRL is a well written, well directed strange story that adresses the Kafkaesque microcosms we all create. The setting is basically in and around a Rodeo Retail store in a small Texas town, that kind of claustrophobic place where everyone seems 'just fine' on the surface but within the shell is a lonely, borderline personality waiting to escape. The story concentrates on one character's (Justine) attempt to find something better in life, but the consequences of that decision bleed into the lives of everyone in this samll town.
When the list for Oscar nominees begins to form, surely Jennifer Aniston's name will be at the top. Her performance is so well crafted and nuanced that despite her character's failings she maintains our empathy. This is a superb character role that deserves the highest kudos. The supporting cast is equally exceptional; Zooey Deschanel creates a zany, bizarre, hilarious yet real person (a bid for Best Supporting Actress),and John C. Reilly, Tim Blake Nelson, Mike White and Jake Gyllenhaal all are born to their roles. The director, Michael Arteta, makes the most of these gifted actors and creates an ensemble performance that stays in your mind long after the movie credits are over. This little gem of a film is bound to appeal to everyone who can transpose the atmosphere here created into the variations of despair we all create and cope with. A superb movie, this.
Movie Review: A Cool Flick
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this portrayal about Justine, a woman who's trapped in a dead end job and a lack lustre marriage. I especially was intrigued by her sudden attraction to a lone wolf outsider type who unfortunately in the end dissolves into a kind of pathetic, whimpering nut case whose love is merely a product of his own delusional uniqueness and self importance. His love and passion for Anitston's character, leads him to suicide. In the end she is asked if she knew him and she simply replies, "Not really." It might sound slightly dead pan and flat and I was hoping for more, but then again I realized that this movie is a dark comedy and that Jennifer's main character is in the end doomed to go on living with her pot smoking husband whose shallow existence is a perfect mirror for her own inner conflicts. One point that this movie did drive home is that women who go outside of their marriages for sex are not really bad, however, they are trying to fill a void, a void where there is little intrigue or passion or romance and adventure. In the end, I had to wonder if indeed love is an ephemeral dream and that perhaps we are doomed to chase this elusive butterfly, because that's how we are constructed. And we must pay somekind of price for whatever happiness we find in this life.
In a sense, this story reminded me of Madame Bovary, but of course it's not a literary masterpiece, but all in all it is a very well acted script that leaves you something to ponder - something that will somehow help you to look into the emptiness of your own existence.
I expect great things from Jennifer in the future, for certainly she does have great potential and will outgrow her present family of friends by leaps and bounds.
Movie Review: Such a change from "Friends."
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always been a fan of "Friends" and Jennifer Aniston is good on the show as Rachel, but I must say that her performance in this movie is so much better than she could ever be as Rachel. Where most people would typecast Aniston as some sort of flaky ditz as she is at times on Friends, Aniston has a chance to shine in the brooding drama that incited emotions that I've never felt before in me.Giving an awesome performance as Texas girl Justine, Jennifer Aniston really makes you believe that her life has been tough. Her husband and his friend are potheads who seem to do nothing for her life, and you sense that the marriage was once something semi-happy, but has deteriorated into nothing but a rut. John C. Reilly takes a character that could easily be the "stereotypical stupid pothead husband" and made him into a character who, though he has his severe flaws, really cares about Justine.
The character of Holden too was very believeable, in my opinion. He's younger than Justine and a welcome change in her life, and I enjoyed how she tried to shoddily cover up their friendship/affair with such unbelievable lies.
The ending saddened me for days. The fact that neither of these interesting characters could find happiness in their lives made me feel so sad for them as if they were my family members, and wondering whose baby it was also left me pondering.
This is a great movie and a welcome change from Jennifer Aniston's flaky work. She and the rest of the cast play their roles so well, you wish this movie, even with all the thought-provocation and sadness this movie brings with it.
Movie Review: An Excellent Movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't normally write reviews, but after I read the Amazon Customer Review of "The Good Girl" where the customer gave it only one star, listing 10 reasons not to see it, I had to step up to the plate.First, in the defense of the "one star reviewer" if you normally ONLY like burp and fart plotless movies, then "The Good Girl" is not for you. BUT, if you enjoy comedy, suspense and thought-provoking entertainment, this is your movie. I actually rank "The Good Girl" as one of my top five favorite movies of the year.
Jennifer Aniston shows that she is more than a beautiful face and an actress who flawlessly portrays the quirky comedic style of her character "Rachel" on "Friends". In "The Good Girl" Aniston's acting is Oscar-worthy to say the least. She can pull off an authentic "Texan gal" southern accent as well as the body language of someone who feels the internal void of being trapped in an unfulfilling job and marriage.
Once you get passed being totally impressed by Aniston's performance (if you watch "Friends"), there is a unique and unpredictable story line that is packed full of humor and intrigue.
Aniston's character stumbles upon a new "love interest" with a male co-worker and given the fact that she married, her life begins to snowball out of control because of the affair.
Although this movie has been described as "dark and melancholy", (which I think is a bit harsh), it's fresh, it's different and I laughed out loud several times. It is a definite "must see"!
Movie Review: A Great Film
Summary: 5 Stars
The Good Girl is about the other half. I guess that is what I liked about it. Justine is going through the motions of her life at a retail job she is bored with and with a husband she can't stand. When she meets the handsome young Holden, she suddenly starts looking at her life and taking chances in a self destructive way. They begin having an affair and she puts her job and marriage on the line. This movie is a dark comedy and Jennifer Aniston does a great job conveying the misery and disillusionment the character feels. There are scenes in this that are hilarious while others are disturbing. I know people just like this and felt it was more real than most of the movies out there. Of course, there are times you want to kick Justine especially when she sleeps with Bubba but I guess that's the point. People do crazy things out of boredom and desperation. So the Good Girl isn't a good girl in the traditional sense. She was a good girl gone bad. The thing about her that irked me was that her life wasn't all that bad and she could have taken a class or done something positive rather than have an affair.
Ok, this might be a spoiler...
At the end, she has to realize what is more important: escaping her life or doing what is right. I feel she made the right choice.
A great film that has some wickedly funny moments. If you like dark comedies and stories about "normal" people, you might enjoy this. A definite winner in my book but obviously not for everyone.