was mostly shocked by Vince Vaughan, who showed me for the first time that he wasn't the long-delayed immature frat boy he so often plays, but actually an imperfect hilarious, yet often silly, character who's main flaw is his selfishness.

| Original Score: B | Sep 12, 2017

This is that branch of the romantic comedy known as 'a relationship movie', but generally short on witty lines and amusing incidents.

| Jul 22, 2006

The Break-Up doesn't turn the rom-com on its head, but with its focus on the darker side of love manages to gently tip it on its side.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 22, 2006

Sharp dialogue and detailed observations make it a good deal funnier than you might expect.

| Jul 20, 2006

Like the story of many broken down relationships: despite the initial attraction, you're left feeling cheated.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 1, 2006

It's not a good sign when a movie is called The Break-Up and you can't wait for the couple to split so they'll get some relief from one another, and give the audience some relief from them.

Full Review | Jun 22, 2006

One seemingly terminal problem with the casting of Ms. Aniston and Mr. Vaughn is that neither of their careers has featured characters who excelled at one-to-one relationships with the opposite sex.

Full Review | Jun 21, 2006

Vince Vaughn kills me. Jennifer Aniston, I think, is underrated as a film actress.

Full Review | Jun 5, 2006

The whole movie is a game of one-upsmanship, as each one tries to make the other more miserable. It gets increasingly ugly and painful. Then it ends.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Jun 3, 2006

The movie offers nothing funny, just a series of sour situations.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 2, 2006

The Break-Up, a grim excuse for a romantic comedy, is basically an hour and 45 minutes spent in the company of two unpleasant people during a miserable time in their lives.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jun 2, 2006

There's no reason not to see The Break-Up, but there's also no reason, assuming the date is going well, not to skip it and order dessert.

| Jun 2, 2006

It's the most interesting spin on domestic strife since Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner were hurling dishes at each other in The War of the Roses.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 2, 2006

With a movie unwilling to go for the jugular, it's more like the dismal The Story of Us than The War of the Roses.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jun 2, 2006

I don't know if The Break-Up qualifies as a date movie. But it will serve as a cautionary tale for couples falling in love.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 2, 2006

It might not be the frosted lemon tart that's been advertised for months, but it is solid, satisfying fare -- flecked with humor, grounded in pain.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 2, 2006

The Break-Up goes badly wrong. Although possessed of a laudable desire not to be yet another run-of-the-mill, wacky-impediment -- damned if the picture can figure out how to be an anti-romance comedy.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 2, 2006

As an off-beat anatomy of a troubled couple, the film almost succeeds. As summer movie fun well, it's not.

| Original Score: C- | Jun 2, 2006

If you really feel the need to be bullied and insulted, just call up your HMO provider or reserve a table at an expensive restaurant.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Jun 2, 2006

If 7 Up is the un-cola, consider The Break-Up, -- the un-romantic comedy.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jun 2, 2006