The Break-Up

As Neil Sedaka famously observed, breaking up is hard to do, but it's even harder to watch in director Peyton Reed's shrill, sour comedy starring alleged off-screen lovebirds Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston. Chicagoans Gary (Vaughn) and Brooke (Aniston) meet at a Cubs game, and though he's an overbearing jerk, a Polaroid-photo montage shows them linking up, after which we flash forward to some unspecified time when their life together begins to unravel over his unwillingness to grow up and help with the housework. Since each refuses to be the one to give up their jointly-owned condo, they continue to live together despite constant brawling, bickering, and purposeful attempts to annoy one another. At issue, of course, is whether the couple will (or should) overcome their difficulties and get back together, but even though the movie tries for some depth in a bittersweet finale, it ultimately has no resonance whatsoever. There are a few laughs courtesy of costars Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, and Vincent D'Onofrio, but they can't make up for the dreariness at the center of the clumsily written The Break-Up: he's an obnoxious loudmouth, she's a dreary bundle of contradictions, and Vaughn and Aniston overplay them badly. Not recommended. [Note: Available in either widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include two audio commentaries (one by director Peyton Reed; the other by costars Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston), a 21-minute improv segment featuring Vaughn and costar Jon Favreau, a 15-minute “making-of” featurette, seven outtakes (12 min.), the 10-minute interactive “Three Brothers: A Tour of Chicago” with an intro by Vaughn, six deleted scenes (8 min.), “In Perfect Harmony: The Tone Rangers” featurette on costar and singer John Michael Higgins (7 min.), an alternate ending with optional commentary (5 min.), three extended scenes (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing comedy.] (F. Swietek)