The Break-Up

Director: Peyton Reed Peyton Reed

Overview

A once-loving couple whose happily-ever-after quickly turned into a never-again finds their crumbling romance complicated when both parties refuse to move out of the pair's recently purchased condo. The Break-Up is a romantic comedy that starts where all the others end. The future once looked promising for thirtysomething couple Brooke (Jennifer Aniston) and Gary (Vince Vaughn), but lately it seems like a series of increasingly petty and intolerable squabbles have snuffed any semblance of romance in their relationship. Their confrontation endlessly fueled by mean-spirited suggestions of revenge tactics from friends and family and their stubborn refusal to budge resulting in an excruciating stalemate, Brooke and Gary ultimately decide to spitefully stick it out as hostile roommates until the weaker party eventually admits defeat. As the competition to drive one another out grows increasingly intense and outrageous, however, Brooke eventually comes to the realization that she's not fighting for possession of the condominium as much as she is fighting to salvage her relationship with the man she once viewed as the love of her life.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/16/2018
UPC:	0191329070147
Original Release:	2006
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Universal Studios
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Vince Vaughn	Gary Grobowski
Jennifer Aniston	Brooke Meyers
Joey Lauren Adams	Maddie
Ann-Margret	Wendy Meyers
Jason Bateman	Riggleman
Judy Davis	Marilyn Dean
Vincent D'Onofrio	Dennis Grabowski
Jon Favreau	Johnny O
Cole Hauser	Lupus Grabowski
John Michael Higgins	Richard Meyers
Justin Long	Christopher
Ivan Sergei	Carson Wigham
Vernon Vaughn	Howard Meyers
Elaine Robinson	Carol Grabowski
Jane Alderman	Mrs. Grabowski
Jacqueline Williams	Shondra
Peter Billingsley	Andrew
Jane Hu	Diane
Rebecca Spence	Jen
Mary-Pat Green	Mischa
Keir O'Donnell	Date, Paul
Geoff Stults	Date, Mike
Tiffany Addison	Waitress
Jessica Vilchis	Hot Girl
Lisa Pace	Hot Girl
Samantha Albert	Debbie
Susan Messing	Tourist
Wayne A. Brown	Tourist
Maynard Love	Tourist
William Dick	Waiter
Jenna Hurt	Poker Girl
Jessica Stramer	Poker Girl
Ashley Giancola	Poker Girl
Lanae Sahs	Poker Girl
Nydia Rodriguez Terracina	Boat Tourist
Phil Ridarelli	Boat Tourist
Sharon Vaughn	Boat Tourist
Rhett Miller	Old 97's
Murry Hammond	Old 97's
Ken Bethea	Old 97's
Philip Peeples	Old 97's
Gunnar Madsen	Tone Rangers
Karl Solis	Tone Ranger
Michael Winther	Tone Ranger
Eric Bradley	Tone Ranger
Paul Peterson	Tone Ranger
Sean P. Gorecki	Tone Rangers
Eddie Martinez	Hot Dog Vendor
Chuck Stubbings	County Clubber
Ryan Cowhey	Andrew Jr
Megan Klein	Sally
Trisha 'Star' Vargo	Riv Bartender
Julie Adrianson Neary	Riv Ticket Taker
Linda Cohn	ESPN Voiceover

Technical Credits

Jeremy Garelick

Jay Lavender

Peyton Reed	Director
Todd Michael Amateau	Asst. Director
Stuart M. Besser	Executive Producer
Juel Bestrop	Casting
Peter Billingsley	Executive Producer
Jon Brion	Score Composer
Eric Edwards	Cinematographer
Cameron Frankley	Sound/Sound Designer
Jeremy Garelick	Co-producer,Original Story,Screenwriter
Stephanie Gilliam	Set Decoration/Design
John Isbell	Associate Producer
Michelle Johnston	Choreography
George Kohut	Camera Operator
Jay Lavender	Co-producer,Original Story,Screenwriter
Andrew Laws	Production Designer
Dan Lebental	Editor
Jeanne McCarthy	Casting
John O'Brien	Musical Direction/Supervision
Carol Oditz	Costumes/Costume Designer
Chelo Ontiveros	Makeup
Mickey Paskal	Casting
David Rosenbloom	Editor
Peter Rosenfeld	Camera Operator
Jennifer Rudnicke	Casting
David Sandefur	Art Director
Scott Stuber	Producer
Vince Vaughn	Original Story,Producer
Victoria Vaughn	Associate Producer
Jody Williams	Camera Operator
Joe "Jody" Williams	Camera Operator

Editorial Reviews

For a film that was marketed as a straight-up comedy, The Break-Up is actually quite dark -- which is not to say that it doesn't satisfy. In fact, this starring vehicle for Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn gains considerable depth by way of its unpredictable nature. Aniston plays Brooke Meyers, a responsible career woman who works for the demanding proprietor (Judy Davis) of a trendy art gallery. Vaughn costars as her boyfriend, Gary Grabowski, a fun-loving tour guide who turns out to be a lackadaisical life partner. A minor quarrel metastasizes into a major crisis, precipitating a split that forces the couple to consider selling the dream condo they’ve purchased together. The ensuing hostilities, alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, are brought to life by director Peyton Reed’s skillful touch and the obvious chemistry between the leads (who became an offscreen couple). Among the top-drawer cast members -- peppered with such Vaughn pals as Jon Favreau -- are Jason Bateman, Joey Lauren Adams, Vincent D'Onofrio, Justin Long, and Ann-Margret. The Break-Up aims for the middle ground between Danny DeVito’s 1989 slapstick hit The War of the Roses and Ingmar Bergman’s 1973 drama Scenes from a Marriage, and by golly, they hit it.

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse

Peyton Reed's The Break-Up earns its title honestly. The screenplay, the actors, and the director have succeeded in capturing an ugly, pedestrian break-up between two very average emotionally stunted people. The scenes that deal dramatically, rather than humorously, with the situation actually are the strongest elements of the film. The huge verbal blow-out between the two at the beginning of the film, and the scene where they "discuss" with their realtor who should keep the spacious Chicago apartment they rent together, offer ample evidence that there was a very good film that could have been made from this material. Both Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are willing to keep the least attractive elements of their characters front and center for most of the film. Sadly, these strengths are also the film's weakness. As good as Vaughn and Aniston are, it is hard to shake the feeling that these performers, both quite obviously in their mid-thirties at least, are too old for these roles. However, casting younger actors in the parts would have made the fact that they share an expensive Chicago apartment all the more unbelievable. Their particular problems are also so universal as to seem almost mundane. An audience member would be hard-pressed to like or root for either of them, as both of the characters lack a level of maturity that most people attain by that age. The characters may learn something about themselves, but where The Break-Up ultimately fails despite its good qualities is that the average viewer is not likely to identify with either character enough to learn anything about themselves.

All Movie Guide - Perry Seibert