6/12/2006

So I saw The Break-Up. It was a really interesting movie... at least to me... it's hard to know where to begin talking about it.

Most people who see this movie think they're seeing a romantic comedy. That is flat-out WRONG. There are parts of this movie that are vaguely romantic, and in the beginning there are certainly funny parts, but this movie is no romantic comedy. I would actually say that this movie HAS NO genre. I'd compare it to Lost in Translation, and to a lesser extent, Shopgirl.

The movie is not "entertaining," in the Hollywood sense of the word. Genres are largely defined by the way in which they entertain, bringing laughter, fear, or what have you. This movie, instead of bringing us an entertaining fantasy, attempts to take us on an experience. The experience in question is a breakup.

To watch this movie is to experience a medium-bad breakup, that is REALLY bad in places. It will speak more to someone who has had a similar experience in their own life, but either way, you will leave this movie feeling rather depressed... as though you have lost a relationship by proxy.

So why watch it? Certainly many people would hate this movie. But I think the reasons for watching it are that, what happens in the fictional breakup is absolutely textbook. From the selfishly acting man, to the woman who feels underappreciated, to the COMPLETE failure of communication, this movie might alternately be called "Anatomy of a Breakup." To anyone who is profoundly interested in the human condition, and specifically would like to watch an examination of why some relationships end, and who has the constitution to watch this crash-and-burn process over the course of two hours, this movie has value.

Viewed from this perspective, I think that the movie was absolutely fascinating. And a cautionary tale for anyone who would like to avoid such a fate. I recommend The Break-Up for the thoughtful movie-goer.