Review of The Good Girl (2002) by Caleb M — 08 Mar 2009

Why is it some of the greatest films of a generation tend to be overlooked or judged as merely "good" or "decent"? The Good Girl is one of the finest films of the first decade of the 21st century. This film perfectly captures the misery of being stuck in a dead-end job, feeling alienated from the world, and not knowing what to do about it. It feels as if it were an older sister to The Graduate.

At first I was worried about Aniston's performance, the only other film of her's I've enjoyed is Office Space, and I've never thought of her as much more than a beautiful woman who can pull off being a charming love-interest, but her performance here is extraordinary. Played by anyone else Justine could seem dull, stupid and ungratefull, but Aniston shows us Justine's hidden pain just by quiety staring into space, something I think many of us have done while contemplating our lives.

John C. Reilly is probably the funniest character in the film, playing Justine's sweet but not too bright husband, Phil. While we can tell he really loves Justine, it isn't too hard to understand why Justine feels unloved and misunderstood.

Gyllenhaal plays a young man self-named after Holden Caulfield and whome Justine cheats on her husband with. Gyllenhaal plays a whiney, wimpy, and pathetic character, but we don't fully realize this until it is too late, and Justine realizes she may be trapped in another fruitless relationship.

One of the film's most beautiful and funny moments involves Tim Blake Nelson's character, Bubba (Phil's best friend) and Justine. In it, we are given a glimpse at how people have different ways of viewing one another and viewing themselves, and how we, without realizing it, and alter their perception of the world, others, and themselves drastically. It's merely one moment in a film filled with bittersweet and heartfelt beauty.