Rating: PG-13 | Runtime: 106 minutes
Release Date: June 2nd, 2006 (USA)
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director(s): Peyton Reed
Writer(s): Jeremy Garelick & Jay Lavender / Vince Vaughn, Jeremy Garelick & Jay Lavender (story)

Come on, grab some sky.

The honor has been bestowed upon me to talk about movies for our company blog. No need for fanfare, however, as my debut outing isn’t one to write home about. Yes, I begin with the underachieving Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston (a conjoined pet name eludes me) vehicle The Break-Up. Curse the trailers for getting me say, “Save the date of June 2 for that one.”

I should have seen the warning signs. I know this now. The film was directed by Peyton Reed of Bring It On fame. Some would say that should have put the nail in the coffin right away. But he was involved with cult TV favorites “Mr. Show” and “Upright Citizens Brigade”, so I readily gave him the benefit of the doubt. The most glaring knock, though, was its PG-13 rating. This is usually the kiss of death for comedies of this kind. If anyone could make PG-13 seem like an R, Vince Vaughn is the guy. Alas, he couldn’t.

With a cast this top-heavy on names (some call it a “Frat Pack” film, but omitting Ferrell, Stiller, Black, Piven and the Wilson Bros. prove otherwise), you’d think the humor—which starts off blazing—could be sustained. We instead get to the point where Vaughn’s fast-talking, witty banter ultimately turns into loudly obnoxious, rehashed insults. The movie hits a lull during the middle stanza and, rather than evolve towards comic genius, ends up falling into the paint-by-numbers romantic comedy we see Hollywood churn out every week.

Most characters are underused. Ann-Margaret says, “Thank you for the paycheck.” Joey Lauren Adams is wasted. Vincent D’Onofrio is basically here just to advance a single plot point. Cole Hauser has one funny moment at a night club. Justin Long is humorous enough playing a flamboyant secretary (but it does get old fast). And Judy Davis can’t get her character’s ego to earn the bigger laughs it should. These supporting actors get about ten minutes of screen time each for one-dimensional roles that barely serve as a quick laugh.

While Aniston is the leading lady, she’s mostly just a support for Vaughn’s antics. Vince is therefore center-stage and, in my opinion, can’t quite pull through for an hour-and-a-half. He’s the consummate scene-stealer in other vehicles yet falls flat here when asked to lead. Surprisingly, it’s Jon Favreau who turns the tables by doing his best Vaughn and owning each scene he’s in. He’s a champ who makes us laugh even when we’re checking our watches during the final act. Give John Michael Higgins credit for coming through too—especially his rendition of Yes’s Owner of a Lonely Heart.

The starting laughs are great, but you don’t pay theater prices for less than half a movie. So, wait on this one until it comes to video in five months. Check out great understated and nuanced performances from Vaughn and D’Onofrio in last year’s dramedy Thumbsucker instead. Or revisit Vaughn’s breakout role in the Favreau penned Swingers. (“Watch me make Gretzky’s head bleed for super fan 99 over there.”) That one’s so “money,” it knows it.

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Gary (Vince Vaughn) and Brooke (Jennifer Aniston) in the romantic comedy THE BREAK-UP.