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The Good Girl
The Good Girl
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êêê½
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Rating
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R for sexuality, some language and drug content
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Director
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Miguel Arteta
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Last best chance
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Starring
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Jennifer Aniston
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Jake Gyllenhaal
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John C. Reilly
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Deborah Rush
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Tim Blake Nelson
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Zooey Deschanel
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Justine (Jennifer Aniston) is 30 years old and bored with her life as a cashier at the Retail Rodeo, a down scale version of K-Mart. She might be able to deal with that but since her husband Phil (John C. Reilly) is only sober when on the job as a house painter there is no relief at home from her depressing work environment. Phil's co-worker and best buddy is Bubba (Tim Blake Nelson) and at the end of the day, the two of them become couch potatoes by frying their brains with beer and marijuana. Justine and Phil have been trying to make a baby without success and they begin to wonder if she can't conceive or he's shooting blanks.
At the Retail Rodeo, Justine's associates are otherworldly. One friend, Gwen (Deborah Rush), has an unexpected tragedy and another named Cheryl (Zooey Deschanel) shows that your brain can be in la-la land and you can still survive the workplace. Cheryl has a very unique way of saying, "Thank you very much." Without doubt the strangest of all is Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal), who dreams of being a writer. The 22-year-old confides to Justine that he had to leave college due to emotional stress. The two begin to share lunch together, the only time either of them is animated and not in a stupor, and eventually they become lovers.
Things get more than a little complicated when Justine becomes pregnant. Bubba sees her at a rent-a-room-by-the-hour motel with Holden and he blackmails Justine so that Phil does not learn of her affair. Holden, distraught, is suspected of a robbery.
"The Good Girl" is a deliciously devilish story. Life can get funky at times because of bad luck and/or poor judgment. These characters may not be like you or the people that live next door, but you can relate to each person¾possibly other than creepy Corny (Mike White), the security guard at the Retail Rodeo. One can at times have compassion for people that do immoral and illegal things.
Life is not a straight road and the curves thrown at this cast of characters turn more treacherous than most. As in Mike White's previous film "Chuck & Buck," which made George's Top 10 list in 2000, he once again has written a film with sharp wit that showcases tragedy in a twisted comedic manner. This good girl is a woman who often does bad things in an earnest and sweet way.
"The Good Girl" brings a fresh perspective to everyday life amidst a host of summer movies that are quite forgettable. If you are looking for something a little different but not too far out there, and no subtitles, don't miss "The Good Girl."
George O. Singleton © 2002
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