Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Break-Up Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 13, 2014

The Vince Vaughn of 2006 was coming off blockbusters such as “Dodgeball” and “Wedding Crashers,” and while it’s easy to be disappointed with his recent career endeavors (including the anemic “The Watch” and “The Internship”), it was awfully brave of the actor to follow-up two extremely silly, popular films with this sobering reminder of love gone wrong. “The Break-Up” isn’t a particularly cohesive picture, but its intentions are fascinating, attempting to buck the trend of apple-cheeked romantic comedies by exploring the dissolution of a long-term relationship. European cinema does it better, but “The Break-Up” gets many gut-rot emotions right, trying to articulate such fist-shaking frustration without turning off a nation of moviegoers. Even if the effort isn’t especially humorous, it gets far on ambition alone, fighting off a case of the cutes to make a feature that treats domestic antagonism with some degree of reality, avoiding fairy tale trimmings.

Gary (Vince Vaughn) and Brooke (Jennifer Aniston) have paired up for all the right reasons, but years of romantic and cohabitational neglect have worn away their patience. Reaching a point of no return with Gary’s inconsiderate ways, Brooke declares the relationship dead, shocking her boyfriend, who’s not sure how to treat the situation, seeking advice from best pal Johnny (Jon Favreau). Instead of confronting their differences, Gary declares war, moving into the living room where he can enjoy the life of pool tables and video games that he’s always wanted. Brooke retaliates by accepting dates with strange men, hoping to trigger Gary’s jealousies, with the resulting mess making the once endearing couple mean and emotionally exhausted.

Directed by Peyton Reed, “The Break-Up” makes a game attempt to keep up with the genre, paying attention to comedic situations involving Gary’s day job as a Chicago tour bus entrepreneur (started with his two brothers, played by Vincent D’Onofrio and Cole Hauser) and Brooke’s sibling, Richard (John Michael Higgins), who’s trying to push his a cappella group, The Tone Rangers, on anyone who’ll listen. Additional silliness is found with Christopher (Justin Long), an effeminate receptionist working for an eccentric art dealer (Judy Davis) who has little time for Brooke’s domestic woes. Obvious attempts are made throughout the picture to lighten the mood, ranging from slow-burn improv between Vaughn and Favreau (Jason Bateman also gets in on the action in a supporting role) to Gary’s video game addiction, even tempting one of Brooke’s dates to skip seduction and join him on the couch for some football. Laughs are present, mostly due to Vaughn’s tireless energy and rapid-fire delivery, but the bulk of “The Break-Up” deals with a sobering reality, and Reed manages the tonal switchbacks satisfactorily.

Without overdosing on melancholy, “The Break-Up” hits a few universal truths about the need for appreciation in a relationship, with Gary and Brooke taking each other for granted as their condo routine solidifies. The screenplay doesn’t wallow in heartbreak, striving to preserve approachability to the subject matter by including territorial games that find the couple managing their personal space in a tight domestic squeeze, using bold acts of defiance, and in Brooke’s case, Brazilian wax enticement (referred to as a “Telly Savalas”), to trigger desire and irritation, creating a war zone environment while the realities of “conscious uncoupling” seep into the air. It’s not long before Gary and Brooke realize the severity of the situation, trashing all that they’ve built together, and in a genre that’s perpetually comforted by fantasy, it’s interesting to find a movie committed to observing the dismantling of love. Even if the jokes fail to connect (the Tone Rangers bit is aggressive and unwelcome), the effort deserves credit for staying true to its premise, following this bond as it slowly circles the drain.

The Break-Up Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation emerges from the Universal vault in relatively decent shape. There is some minor filtering present, far from the excesses the studio is sometimes known for, pulling back a bit on the filmic quality of viewing experience. Colors are generous here, offering a pleasing range of primaries, with reds particularly potent, popping off costuming and signage. Skintones are equally welcome, preserving natural qualities. Detail is satisfactory, keeping facial particulars open for inspection during emotional responses, and set dressing is easily surveyed. Blacks are stable and mostly true, with some hints of solidification that never become a distraction.

The Break-Up Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't present itself with a particularly expansive range, playing it basic with a pleasing balance of dialogue and defined scoring selections. Soundtrack cuts and faint atmospherics do manage some presence in the surrounds, but nothing's enveloping. Thespian efforts are crisp and clean, never reaching into distorted extremes as the arguments pile up, while the group dynamic is adequately positioned. Low-end is good for bass response, but otherwise remains unchallenged.

The Break-Up Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features actors Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston.

• Commentary #2 features director Peyton Reed.

• Alternate Ending (5:07, SD) doesn't abandon the bittersweet qualities of the theatrical conclusion, but it does offer a comedic button in the form of a performance of "The Rainbow Connection" by The Tone Rangers. It can be viewed with or without commentary by Reed and Vaughn.

• Deleted Scenes (8:12, SD) aren't substantial additions to the story, but they do flesh out Brooke's post-break-up meltdown with her family and Gary's efforts to meet women at a nightclub, watching his brother score easily while he struggles to find a place in the dating scene.

• Extended Scenes (1:57, SD) are brief snippets of improvisation from the cast.

• Outtakes (11:32, SD) highlights even more improvisational situations from the cast, the best featuring Vaughn on the Chicago tour bus sharing the rules of the road.

• "Improv with Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau" (21:09, SD) offers a split-screen view of the actors at work, feeling around a scene where Gary confesses to pal Johnny that his relationship is over. It can be viewed with or without commentary from Vaughn and Favreau.

• "In Perfect Harmony: The Tone Rangers" (6:24, SD) spotlights actor John Michael Higgins, who built the a cappella sound featured in the movie by himself, gathering singers and shaping songs, wowing the production with his dedication.

• Making Of (15:16, SD) is a standard look at the creation of the film, collecting interviews with cast and crew to help articulate the dramatic themes of the script and efforts to make the whole feature feel as real as possible while still retaining comedy.

• "Three Brothers: A Tour of Chicago" (11:31, SD) follows cast and crew around as they share their favorite parts of the city, exploring how the locations add to the overall texture of the movie.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this disc.

The Break-Up Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Break-Up" is an unusual film, setting out to fulfill and destroy romantic comedy expectations. It's largely successful, and performances by Vaughn and Aniston are commendable, downright heroic if one considers how the screenplay focuses intently on argumentative behavior. That Gary and Brooke maintain some likability is a testament to the actors, while dramatic passages are more obvious, but handled professionally. "The Break-Up" isn't radical entertainment, but it manages to pull off an impossible task of playing to the rafters with unsavory material, and for that feat alone, it's an engaging watch.