Several months ago, I saw a movie called "Chuck & Buck." It was a good movie, though not very easy to watch. It had lotsa scenes that were uncomfortable, the kinds of scenes that make you squirm in your seat. It was a movie filled with awkward situations. Still, that was the intention of the filmmakers, and they did their job well. The movie was written by Mike White, who also played the character of "Buck," and it was directed by Miguel Arteta. I liked "Chuck & Buck," so when the writer and director teamed up again to make a movie called "The Good Girl," I was interested in seeing it. I was also interested because the movie stars Jennifer Aniston in a dramatic role (as far as I know, every movie and TV show she's been in has been a comedy... well, except for "Leprechaun," of course, but I'm sure she'd much rather everyone forget about that one). The reviews were really good, so I went and saw the movie expecting to really like it. But I didn't. Most critics would disagree with me, but I gotta tellya, this movie was a big disappointment, and I consider it a step down from "Chuck & Buck."
Just a little bit of trivia: The guy who plays "Chuck" in "Chuck and Buck" is named Chris Weitz. His real life brother, Paul Weitz, is also in the movie. The two brothers went on to produce and direct "American Pie." Pretty cool, right? You've just been schooled by Joey the Film Geek.
Moving on...
"The Good Girl" isn't a happy movie. It's not a dark, depressing movie, it's just very blah. Ever have one of those days where you're not really in a bad mood or a good mood, you're just feeling blah? Well, that's what this movie is. From beginning to end, it's blah, and it makes you feel blah watching it. You watch this movie, and it's slowly moving along, going forward, no highs or lows, just very low-key... and then finally, it's over. Blah.
It's a shame that the movie wasn't very good, because I like the cast. Jennifer Aniston somehow looks very drab in this movie (as she should). Though it's a subtle transformation, she went from the glamorous beauty you see on "Friends" every Thursday night to an okay looking girl who works the make-up counter at a store that's like a much smaller version of Wal-Mart, and it's totally believable. She's very good in the movie, and I applaud her for taking a role so different from the norm. I've seen her in other movies, movies I've enjoyed, such as "Office Space," "The Object Of My Affection," "Picture Perfect," and "She's the One," but her performance in this one is miles away from those. Too bad the movie sucks. Jake Gyllenhaal (starred in "October Sky," "Bubble Boy," and a really good movie called "Donnie Darko") plays a guy she works with, and I think we're supposed to sympathize with his character, but I couldn't. I did, at first, but then he went from being a misunderstood, antisocial dork to a whiny, immature, annoying dork. I don't fault his performance, but my not liking his character was a big problem for me watching the movie. John C. Reilly (he's been in all of Paul Thomas Anderson's movies, "Hard Eight," "Boogie Nights," and "Magnolia"... he also played the catcher in "For Love of the Game") plays Jennifer Aniston's husband, and I think I liked that character more than I should have. Maybe it's because of the actor playing him. In every movie I see him in, John C. Reilly plays a cool guy, so maybe that made me like him more than I was supposed to in this movie. Finally, there's Zooey Deschanel (she played the sister in "Almost Famous" and she was in the movie "Big Trouble"). I like her a lot as an actress, and in this movie, she was as good as she usually is. I liked her character a lot, and while watching it, I was wondering why she didn't hook up with Jake Gyllenhaal's character. He's supposed to be this outcast looking for someone who understands him, and it would seem like Zooey Deschanel's character would be perfect for him. I dunno, whatever. It's not even worth thinking about.
By the way, Mike White, the writer of the film, is also in the movie. He plays a religious security guard who works in that miniature Wal-Mart, and he's really good.
Critics seem to really like this movie, but I can't say that I know why. There's nothing about it that I really like except for the acting and a couple of the characters. The biggest problem is that the character I liked the least is probably the one I was supposed to sympathize with the most, and I didn't. Instead of seeing this movie, go rent the DVD for "Chuck & Buck." It's a much better movie.
Scale of 1-10: 3