The Good Girl
I know, I said no more summer movies, but this will be the last one. Promise. Jennifer Aniston stars as Justine, a gal in a dead-end job with no direction in her life whatsoever. Her husband, John C. Reilly, hangs out with a really gross man, played by Tim Blake Nelson, where they smoke pot and paint houses. It seems the only thing that will cheer her up is a baby, something they haven't been able to have. Then change comes in the form of Holden, the new cashier of the Retail Rodeo. He claims to be the character from Catcher in the Rye. He's a writer just inching to get out into the world if only he had a little money to play around with. Soon, Justine and Holden see their relationship grow into a physical one. All of Justine's quibbles from the start of the movie are gone. She's on a high that she doesn't want to give up. But that high does disappear and soon Justine is faced with choosing between her past and her possible new future.

I like Aniston's performance in this one. She's ready to break out of her Friends' mold and into some serious roles. Ultimately, the movie can't decide whether it wants to be a comedy or drama. Death is met with laughter. Adultery is just brushed aside. Each of the supporting characters seem to have only one function and play it til it gets tired. I did like Zooey Deschanel's comedic performance as a clerk. But the way the movie is built, the ending seems to come out of left field. But the title is the key and Aniston is a good girl, even if she does some bad things along the way. 2.5 stars