Mostly memorable for Jennifer Aniston's lead performance, 'The Good Girl' offers the Golden Globe actress perhaps her finest acting hour, cast here as an unhappily married store clerk who sees life passing her by. The promise of something new, exciting and different comes in the form of a much younger coworker who fancies her, but is there really a possible 'happily ever after' scenario for them? And does she really love him or simply what he represents with his championing of 'The Catcher in the Rye' and ramblings about defying social norms? Their affair eventually leads to a fork in the road in which Aniston is forced to make a choice and her decision, while perplexing at first, seems simply inevitable in retrospect. The film is well acted by not only Aniston, but also a stellar supporting cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Zooey Deschanel, 'Zodiac''s John Carroll Lynch, John C. Reilly and Tim Blake Nelson, and yet, the film does not quite have the same effect upon revision. The script relies heavily on elements of surprise for impact and none of the twists (other than Aniston's choice at end) have that much power once one knows they are coming. The philosophical voice over narration also seems to spell about a bit too much, especially concerning Nelson's character, upon revision. Aniston's internal strife resonates either way though, and her down-to-earth performance ensures that the film is engaging the whole through. 'The Good Girl' might not be a flawless film, however, if nothing else it will make you think twice before eating blackberries again!
Review of The Good Girl
