Genre: Comedy/Romance/Drama

Director: Peyton Reed

Certificate: The Break-Up was rated 12A by the Irish Film Censor's Office (www.ifco.ie) i.e. suitable for those of 12 years of age or upwards. Persons under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Violence = mild. Drugs = none. Sex/Nudity = moderate. Language = moderate.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: The Break-Up

The Break-Up starts like your average romantic comedy - in this case the mismatched boy and girl meet at a baseball game and end up together.  But immature Gary (Vince Vaughan) isn't quite ready for responsibilities - he still wants to play poker, video games, watch baseball games and drink beer.  He certainly isn't ready for dinner parties with cute table centre pieces!  It's actually a row over a table centre-piece for a dinner party that sparks a terrible spiral of fighting between Gary and his girlfriend Brooke (Jennifer Aniston).  When Brooke prepares a lovely meal for her family she asks Gary to bring home 12 lemons which see intends to place in a bowl on the table.  Gary says that baby gets what baby wants, but baby only got three lemons for her centre-piece and baby wanted twelve! 

Later the row escalates over washing the dishes - Brooke reckons Gary should WANT to do the dishes (to show his appreciation of all her hard work preparing the dinner party) but, for Gary, it's inconceivable that anyone would WANT to do the dishes.  The fighting becomes as bitter as those missing lemons!

Ok - so as you might have guessed this is no happy-go-lucky date movie - what follows the initial comedy and romance is a drama of harsh, spiteful, words and incriminations.  This certainly adds an unexpected edge to the movie and for those expecting something warm and fluffy - sorry wrong movie...  Even the ending doesn't conform and staying true to its deviant nature this movie doesn't attempt to tie up all the loose ends nice and neatly for the audience - this is something that might annoy some viewers but to be honest, at times, it is refreshing not to have everything spelt out!

Bottom Line: Not a great movie but at least someone wasn't afraid to throw away 'The Director's Handbook to Making a Rom/Com' and to incorporate a harsh edginess to the story.  However, providing a new slant on the rom-com isn't really enough and at times it feels like The Break-Up is an extended sit-com.  Not much romance if that's what you're after, but it's very funny in parts.

Lasting Thought: Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars!

Reviewed by Niall Quinn, Premier Movie Reviews 2006.

RELATED MOVIE REVIEWS:

VINCE VAUGHN: Dodgeball,  Mr and Mrs Smith,  Starsky And Hutch,  Wedding Crashers.

JENNIFER ANISTON:  Bruce Almighty,  Rock Star,  Rumour Has It.

JON FAVREAU:  Daredevil,  Something's Gotta Give,  Wimbledon.

JASON BATEMAN: Dodgeball,  Starsky And Hutch,  The Sweetest Thing.

Vince Vaughn

Jennifer Aniston

Joey Lauren Adams

Jon Favreau

Jason Bateman

WORTH A WATCH