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Good Girl, The
- Directed by: Miguel Arteta
- Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, John C. Reilly, Tim Blake Nelson, Zooey Deschanel, Deborah Rush, Mike White, John Carroll Lynch, John Doe, Roxanne Hart, Ken Rudúlph
- Genre: Comedies
-
Rating:
- Rating Reason: sexuality, some language, and drug content
- Theater Release: 08/07/2002
- Video Release: 01/07/2003
- Run Time: 1hr 34min
Synopsis
THE GOOD GIRL, directed by Miguel Arteta and written by Mike White, stars Jennifer Aniston as Justine, a sullen 30-year-old woman stuck in a dead-end job at the Retail Rodeo department store. In addition to her mind-numbing occupation, Justine also has to contend with her dim-witted husband, Phil (John C. Reilly), and his partner, Bubba (Tim Blake Nelson), who work as house painters when they aren't smoking pot and staring blankly at the television. Justine sees an opportunity for change, however, when she meets Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal), a fellow Retail Rodeo employee who is even more depressed than herself. The young Holden (who patterns himself after Holden Caulfield of J.D. Salinger's THE CATCHER IN THE RYE) and Justine soon begin a passionate secret affair, unaware that it may not be so secret after all.
With THE GOOD GIRL, Arteta and White, the creators of the indie hit CHUCK & BUCK, have fashioned yet another oddly affecting comedy out of misery and obsession. Playing the polar opposite of the character she plays on the TV show FRIENDS, Aniston is outstanding as Justine, a melancholy wife torn between the temptation of an affair and loyalty to her husband. Gyllenhaal is excellent as Justine's angst-ridden younger beau, while Reilly plays her slacker spouse to perfection. Also notable in their supporting roles are Nelson, who portrays a scheming stoner; screenwriter White, who appears as Retail Rodeo's pious security guard; and Zooey Deschanel, who gleefully dispenses sarcasm as a customer-hating clerk. A delicate balance of dark humor and sincere emotion, THE GOOD GIRL stands out as an overachieving film about underachieving people.
THE GOOD GIRL, directed by Miguel Arteta and written by Mike White, stars Jennifer Aniston as Justine, a sullen 30-year-old woman stuck in a dead-end job at the Retail Rodeo department store. In addition to her mind-numbing occupation, Justine also has to contend with her dim-witted husband, Phil (John C. Reilly), and his partner, Bubba (Tim Blake Nelson), who work as house painters when they aren't smoking pot and staring blankly at the television. Justine sees an opportunity for change, however, when she meets Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal), a fellow Retail Rodeo employee who is even more depressed than herself. The young Holden (who patterns himself after Holden Caulfield of J.D. Salinger's THE CATCHER IN THE RYE) and Justine soon begin a passionate secret affair, unaware that it may not be so secret after all.
With THE GOOD GIRL, Arteta and White, the creators of the indie hit CHUCK & BUCK, have fashioned yet another oddly affecting comedy out of misery and obsession. Playing the polar opposite of the character she plays on the TV show FRIENDS, Aniston is outstanding as Justine, a melancholy wife torn between the temptation of an affair and loyalty to her husband. Gyllenhaal is excellent as Justine's angst-ridden younger beau, while Reilly plays her slacker spouse to perfection. Also notable in their supporting roles are Nelson, who portrays a scheming stoner; screenwriter White, who appears as Retail Rodeo's pious security guard; and Zooey Deschanel, who gleefully dispenses sarcasm as a customer-hating clerk. A delicate balance of dark humor and sincere emotion, THE GOOD GIRL stands out as an overachieving film about underachieving people.
Reviews
"...Jennifer Aniston gives a revelatory performance..." (Movieline's Hollywood Life)
"...This is smart, well-crafted stuff..." (Premiere)
"...One of the year's best films....The extraordinary quality of White's script and Arteta's direction lifts the meticulously cast actors to the heights of their abilities..." (Los Angeles Times)
"...A sharp-tongued, subtly nuanced tragicomedy....Aniston effectively exudes emptiness and ennui....Viewers will be grateful to have stumbled on this darkly comic and well-told story..." (USA Today)
"...It's a winner....Ms. Aniston provides a gentle, thoughtful performance....A ripe, daffy comedy about the turbulent mixture of depression and jealousy..." (New York Times)
"...THE GOOD GIRL ferrets out subtle comedy in the bleakest of set-ups. While the tone of the movie is sincere and socially aware....An appealing film..." (Sight and Sound)
"Jennifer Aniston gives an austere, impeccable performance....Every character is drawn sharply, yet never uncharitably." (Wall Street Journal)
"...Jennifer Aniston gives a revelatory performance..." (Movieline's Hollywood Life)
"...This is smart, well-crafted stuff..." (Premiere)
"...One of the year's best films....The extraordinary quality of White's script and Arteta's direction lifts the meticulously cast actors to the heights of their abilities..." (Los Angeles Times)
"...A sharp-tongued, subtly nuanced tragicomedy....Aniston effectively exudes emptiness and ennui....Viewers will be grateful to have stumbled on this darkly comic and well-told story..." (USA Today)
"...It's a winner....Ms. Aniston provides a gentle, thoughtful performance....A ripe, daffy comedy about the turbulent mixture of depression and jealousy..." (New York Times)
"...THE GOOD GIRL ferrets out subtle comedy in the bleakest of set-ups. While the tone of the movie is sincere and socially aware....An appealing film..." (Sight and Sound)
"Jennifer Aniston gives an austere, impeccable performance....Every character is drawn sharply, yet never uncharitably." (Wall Street Journal)
