Rating: 
Summary: A Great Story
Review: I wasn't expecting much when I went to go see The Good Girl. But Jennifer Aniston really surprised me with her outstanding performance. This film shows she is a very versitile actresses. I really felt for her character as she was making important decisions about her life. Also, the story is guaranteed to make you think. It seems many of the characters want more out of their life, but don't know how to get it living in this small town. All in all, this movie really held my interest
Rating: 
Summary: Sleeping Giant of a Film
Review: With very little in the way of pre-publicity, THE GOOD GIRL crept into limited release and is only now being disseminated into some more mainstream theaters. There seems to be a trend here in putting the really superb, message films in the small theaters and letting word of mouth propel them into the public eye. And perhaps this technique underlines the importance of these small films - no ballyhoo, just concentrated fine work speaking for itself.THE GOOD GIRL is a well written, well directed strange story that adresses the Kafkaesque microcosms we all create. The setting is basically in and around a Rodeo Retail store in a small Texas town, that kind of claustrophobic place where everyone seems 'just fine' on the surface but within the shell is a lonely, borderline personality waiting to escape. The story concentrates on one character's (Justine) attempt to find something better in life, but the consequences of that decision bleed into the lives of everyone in this samll town. When the list for Oscar nominees begins to form, surely Jennifer Aniston's name will be at the top. Her performance is so well crafted and nuanced that despite her character's failings she maintains our empathy. This is a superb character role that deserves the highest kudos. The supporting cast is equally exceptional; Zooey Deschanel creates a zany, bizarre, hilarious yet real person (a bid for Best Supporting Actress),and John C. Reilly, Tim Blake Nelson, Mike White and Jake Gyllenhaal all are born to their roles. The director, Michael Arteta, makes the most of these gifted actors and creates an ensemble performance that stays in your mind long after the movie credits are over. This little gem of a film is bound to appeal to everyone who can transpose the atmosphere here created into the variations of despair we all create and cope with. A superb movie, this.
Rating: 
Summary: one of the worst, most depressing films ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I'm sorry to say that this is one of the worst, most depressing films I have ever seen in my life. I thanked the Lord above when it was over (yeah, I could have walked out but I couldn't properly comment on it if I didn't see the entire movie - kind of like those idiots who try to ban books that they never have read).
It tried to be a "black comedy", it tried to be quirky, it tried to be funny. It failed at all attempts. The movie focuses around the depressing life of Justine who commits adultry then continues to make bad decisions until the lousy ending of this predictable story. Nothing changes for the main character - you don't even like her - or anyone in this entire story. Who knows, maybe that's what the writer was going for.
In my opinion the only way someone could enjoy this "movie" is watching it so they can see that there life isn't as bad as Justine's - which is pretty sad in and of itself.
A waste of talents. Don't even bother to rent it when it's on video in November. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant acting elevates weak plot
Review: Justine is depressed. She hates her job at the Retail Rodeo, she comes home everyday to find her husband smoking pot and watching TV with his loser friend, her life is going nowhere. That is, until she meets Holden. Holden and Justine have something in common, they both hate their lives. For awhile, Justine and Holden seem to be in love and everything is great. It's not too long, however before things start going sour. Jennifer Aniston is nothing short of spectacular in this role. I went to see this thinking I'd have trouble believing "Rachel" from Friends as a depressed loser. Surprisingly, I left the theater wondering if I'd believe that this depressed loser could also be "Rachel". That's how incredibly transformed Jennifer Aniston is. I can't remember her even smiling in this. Jake Gyllenhaal is also terrific as Holden. I also love the one female employee (I can't remember her name) who makes those hilarious announcements over the store's PA. In fact, the whole cast is consistantly brilliant.
The flaw in this film is the script. Don't get me wrong, it's written extremely well. It is never cliched, never predictable, nothing like that. The problem is there isn't enough plot, if you know what I mean. The movie is great for the first 40 minutes, but then you start to wonder if it's building up to anything at all. The conclusion is satisfactory, but overall this could have been better if given a quick rewrite. Anyway, despite the plot that could've used a bit more story, this movie is more than worth the time and money. Jennifer's performance is EASILY worth a best actress statue, but I seriously doubt that, given all the other great movies this year, this movie will be recognized by the Academy.
Rating:
Summary: A Cool Flick
Review: I really enjoyed this portrayal about Justine, a woman who's trapped in a dead end job and a lack lustre marriage. I especially was intrigued by her sudden attraction to a lone wolf outsider type who unfortunately in the end dissolves into a kind of pathetic, whimpering nut case whose love is merely a product of his own delusional uniqueness and self importance. His love and passion for Anitston's character, leads him to suicide. In the end she is asked if she knew him and she simply replies, "Not really." It might sound slightly dead pan and flat and I was hoping for more, but then again I realized that this movie is a dark comedy and that Jennifer's main character is in the end doomed to go on living with her pot smoking husband whose shallow existence is a perfect mirror for her own inner conflicts. One point that this movie did drive home is that women who go outside of their marriages for sex are not really bad, however, they are trying to fill a void, a void where there is little intrigue or passion or romance and adventure. In the end, I had to wonder if indeed love is an ephemeral dream and that perhaps we are doomed to chase this elusive butterfly, because that's how we are constructed. And we must pay somekind of price for whatever happiness we find in this life. In a sense, this story reminded me of Madame Bovary, but of course it's not a literary masterpiece, but all in all it is a very well acted script that leaves you something to ponder - something that will somehow help you to look into the emptiness of your own existence. I expect great things from Jennifer in the future, for certainly she does have great potential and will outgrow her present family of friends by leaps and bounds.
Rating:
Summary: A pleasant surprise
Review: What a pleasant surprise! Having watched many episodes of Friends, I was not prepared for the quality of performance that Jennifer Aneston delivered in Good Girl. This is not the type of feel good film that you forget five minutes after you leave the theater. It is a powerful reflection of certain aspects of life in America. Because of it's intensity and depth, it took a while for me to absorb the effects of this film. I judge the quality of a film, in part by how I feel about it a few days after watching it. This is one that I could see again.
I won't reveal the content because each viewer will experience it differently. If you are looking for something light and fluffy, this may not be for you. Reality can be disturbing, at the same time it can be very satisfying.
The cast and direction were wonderful
Rating:
Summary: intriguing start descends into formulaic
Review: This movie starts out with an intriguing situation. Jennifer Aniston plays a depressed Retail Rodeo employee with a pig of a husband. She plays the role convincingly, making viewers feel the world of a small-town Texas woman. When she meets a new employee, a disturbed but more intellectual young man, she thinks she's found an escape from her daily drudgery. From this point on, events spiral downhill and the movie becomes disappointingly predictable. The element of surprise is lost and viewers are taken on a formulaic ride where predictable consequences come from foreseen actions. It's not a bad movie to watch on those nights when you want something light, just don't expect surprises.
Rating:
Summary: WIERD!
Review: This movie WAS funny- if you like subtle, dark humor. Most people don't recognize character play unless it hits them over the head. It does not have a perfect happy closed-up-tight ending. Does it really need to, to be good? This movie takes a sharp, hard look at the lives of many people you know. If you need prat falls, animals getting hurt, and big explosions to make you laugh, this movie is not for you. But if you find hilarity at the corner drugstore like I do- you'll enjoy this quite a bit.
Rating:
Summary: Can Jennifer Aniston really act? Not in this movie, anyway.
Review: The beginning of this film gives you hope that it might turn out interesting and thought-provoking. However, it loses ground about half-way through. Jennifer Aniston proves once again that she is not a serious actress. She fails to engage us in her character, Justine. Even John C. Reilly (usually a very good character actor), who plays Justine's stoner husband, falls flat as he has little to work with. Jake Gyllenhal is alright as Holden, but they take that character too far out. The plot is thin and the filmaker leaves us with unanswered questions that seem rather pointless. The most entertaining parts of this film I found to be the dead-panned announcements over the PA in the discount store where Justine works.
Rating: 
Summary: interesting character study
Review: (Assuming that the reader has read the synopsis...)
Wow, Jennifer Aniston actually CAN act and Jake Gyllenhaal was very good, (pay attention to the little things he adds to the story and his character). I personally wouldn't have even watched this movie in the first place if it wasn't for the fact that Jake Gyllenhaal is one of my favorite actors, but I am glad I did. The story really isn't that complex or abnormal, just one of one woman's unsatisfaction with her life, and how she realizes that she has the power to make life what she wants it to be. She thinks she has found someone in Holden who, unlike her stoner husband, can really understand her. The end is the unique part, you can make of it whatever you choose. You can look at it as dark, a comedy, or light with its dark parts. This is a film that will leave a lasting impression on you, and make you take a step back and look at your own life. Basically, the story isn't complex, but the insight to the deepest of human emotions and tendencies make this a worth-while film.
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