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DOWN IN FRONT: The Good Girl
| DAN’S GRADE: A- A: MUST SEE B: WORTH WATCHING C: RENT IT D: POOR F: WICKED BAD |
Aniston plays a small-town woman who hates her mindless job at the Retail Rodeo almost as much as she hates her husband’s marijuana habit. Desperate to change her life, she fixates on a brooding, alcohol-dependent co-worker who calls himself Holden, played by Jake Gyllenhaal of “October Sky.”
The movie captures the mundane very well. During the scenes at the retail store, you almost feel like one of the employees, waiting for the end of the shift. Aniston drives a dented car. Her house is believably plain and her husband (John C. Reilly) is a classic example of married mediocrity. Life is like this for many people, although I doubt many take it as seriously as this movie takes itself. Occasionally it strays dangerously close to pretension.
This feels like one of those grim novels that you were forced to read in English class with dust jackets that talk about “lives of quiet desperation” or the disillusionment with the “American Dream.” It moves a little slow, but by the time you slog through its pages you feel it was worth the read. Still, it’s not as much fun as watching television or playing video games.
Aniston, who in addition to her work on “Friends” appeared in the New York comedy “She’s the One,” has now proven herself as a serious actress, capable of both drama and comedy. Out of all of the “Friends” cast, she has made the best career choices when it comes to movies, while fellow “Friends” star Matthew Perry is floundering in the abysmal “Serving Sara.”
All of the performances in “The Good Girl” are believable and memorable. However, if you like movies with a lot of laughs, or action and car chases, you are not going to enjoy this film.
The bottom line is, this is not a movie for people looking to escape reality for a few hours.
Just so you know, I was originally slated to review “Fear Dot Com” this week, but after sitting in the theater by myself for 15 minutes waiting for the film to start, I was informed that it would not be shown because no one purchased a ticket for it.