The Good Girl (2002)

X An excellent must-see
O Good video rental
O Mediocre
O Rent something else

Review by Jason Pyles / July 28, 2007

When you hear what this movie is about, you’re going to think that “The Good Girl” is a misnomer. Justine Last (Jennifer Aniston) really is a good girl, deep down, but she just keeps making very bad decisions.

As the movie opens, our ears twitch to hear Jennifer Aniston affect a southern accent. It’s bothersome for a few minutes, but go with it. You’ll get used to it.

Justine works as a clerk at the Retail Rodeo in a small town in Texas. She’s deeply depressed and discontent. She hates her job. Her clueless husband (John C. Reilly) is a pot-smokin’ couch potato, along with his friend, Bubba (Tim Blake Nelson).

Now, I’ll break here to tell you that the casting for this movie is absolutely perfect, perhaps the best I’ve seen, at least since “The Wizard of Oz” (1939).

Inevitably, as is standard in such movies, a fresh-faced young man (Jake Gyllenhaal) begins working at the Retail Rodeo and catches Justine’s eye.

Now, I’m sure you can guess what happens next. But what happens after that, and after that, and after that — you’d never guess. This is one of those movies that, when it ends, you really aren’t sure how you should feel. You only know that you’re feeling something, and it’s strong.

Directed by Miguel Arteta
Jennifer Aniston / Jake Gyllenhaal / Tim Blake Nelson
93 min. Drama / Romance
(Original MPAA rating: R)
Edited version age recommendation: 15 and up

DVD release date: February 1, 2005
Copyright 2007.
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