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Features: DVD
Jennifer Aniston turns in a fantastic performance in this quirky comedy about first encounters and second chances. Thirty-year old Justine Last (Aniston) longs for a life more fulfilling than the one she leads with her boring husband (John C. Reilly) and dead-end job at the Retail Rodeo. But when a passionate young co-worker (Jake Gyllenhaal) catches her eye and steals her heart, Justine's good-girl existence takes a turn for the worse- with unexpected and comical results.
"Aniston is remarkable..." Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"...darkly comic and well-told story." Claudia Puig, USA Today
"A comedy of winning delicacy and heart." Entertainment Weekly
"...laugh-out-loud funny..." Los Angeles Times
"Aniston makes this movie a must-see!" Elle Magazine
"...touches nerves and rings true." Hollywood Reporter
"The Friends star announces herself as a true big-screen talent..." Megan Turner, New York Post
"...it's a winner." Elvis Mitchell, The New York Times
Editor's Note
THE GOOD GIRL, directed by Miguel Arteta and written by Mike White, stars Jennifer Aniston as Justine, a sullen 30-year-old woman stuck in a dead-end job at the Retail Rodeo department store. In addition to her mind-numbing occupation, Justine also has to contend with her dim-witted husband, Phil (John C. Reilly), and his partner, Bubba (Tim Blake Nelson), who work as house painters when they aren't smoking pot and staring blankly at the television. Justine sees an opportunity for change, however, when she meets Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal), a fellow Retail Rodeo employee who is even more depressed than herself. The young Holden (who patterns himself after Holden Caulfield of J.D. Salinger's THE CATCHER IN THE RYE) and Justine soon begin a passionate secret affair, unaware that it may not be so secret after all.With THE GOOD GIRL, Arteta and White, the creators of the indie hit CHUCK & BUCK, have fashioned yet another oddly affecting comedy out of misery and obsession. Playing the polar opposite of the character she plays on the TV show FRIENDS, Aniston is outstanding as Justine, a melancholy wife torn between the temptation of an affair and loyalty to her husband. Gyllenhaal is excellent as Justine's angst-ridden younger beau, while Reilly plays her slacker spouse to perfection. Also notable in their supporting roles are Nelson, who portrays a scheming stoner; screenwriter White, who appears as Retail Rodeo's pious security guard; and Zooey Deschanel, who gleefully dispenses sarcasm as a customer-hating clerk. A delicate balance of dark humor and sincere emotion, THE GOOD GIRL stands out as an overachieving film about underachieving people.
| Features | Gag Reel | | Alternate Ending Montage | | Scene Specific Commentary by Jennifer Aniston | | Full Length Audio Commentary by Director Miguel Arteta and Writer/Director Mike White | | 9 Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Foxvideo |
| Release Date: 4/10/2007 |
| Running Time: 94 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2002 | | Catalog ID: 2006022 | | UPC: 00024543060222 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English | | Available Subtitles: English, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 1.85:1/4:3 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Independent Spirit (2003) | | | Matthew Greenfield, Nominee, Best Feature | | | Jennifer Aniston, Nominee, Best Female Lead | | | Mike White, Nominee, Best Screenplay | | | John C. Reilly, Nominee, Best Supporting Male |
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| | Professional Reviews | Movieline's Hollywood Life
"...Jennifer Aniston gives a revelatory performance..." 07/01/2002 p.40-2Premiere
"...This is smart, well-crafted stuff..." 08/01/2002 p.26 Los Angeles Times
"...One of the year's best films....The extraordinary quality of White's script and Arteta's direction lifts the meticulously cast actors to the heights of their abilities..." 08/07/2002 p.C5 USA Today
"...A sharp-tongued, subtly nuanced tragicomedy....Aniston effectively exudes emptiness and ennui....Viewers will be grateful to have stumbled on this darkly comic and well-told story..." 08/07/2002 p.3D New York Times
"...It's a winner....Ms. Aniston provides a gentle, thoughtful performance....A ripe, daffy comedy about the turbulent mixture of depression and jealousy..." 08/07/2002 p.E1 Sight and Sound
"...THE GOOD GIRL ferrets out subtle comedy in the bleakest of set-ups. While the tone of the movie is sincere and socially aware....An appealing film..." 01/01/2003 p.46-7 Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
Jennifer Aniston has at last decisively broken with her Friends image in an independent film of satiric fire and emotional turmoil. It will no longer be possible to consider her in the same way. - Roger Ebert
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