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I've liked Vince Vaughn ever since I saw him in the movie Swingers about a decade back. Since that time, he has emerged as one of America's most popular comedic actors and has delivered a string of commercially successful films in the last few years. Jennifer Aniston was on of my favorite television actresses when she starred on the hit sitcom Friends for ten years, and has even had a couple of hit movies along the way. So when these Vaughn and Aniston decided to pair up for the 2006 film The Break-Up, I knew I had to see it.

The premise of The Break-Up is nothing original. Vaughn and Aniston play Gary and Brooke, a typical couple who, after dating for a couple of years, buy a condo together despite not being married. This joint real estate ownership presents a problem when they decide to break up: both of them refuse to move out of the home.

The break-up was precipitated by the usual minor problems that just build up over time. Gary doesn't help with the housework, doesn't put any effort into the relationship, and doesn't appreciate anything Brooke does for him. Brooke, meanwhile, constantly nags Gary and never comes right out and tells him what she wants. Instead, she expects him to pick up on her subtle hints and indirect statements. These problems eventually push Brooke to the limit, and she decides that she's had enough.

Both continue living in their condo while their realtor tries to find a buyer. The market is good right now, so it shouldn't take more than a couple of weeks. During that time, Gary and Brooke have to try to coexist under the same roof while each attempts to move past the relationship. Gary buys the pool table that he's always wanted and puts it in the dining room. Brooke brings home an endless parade of rich, successful guys who want to date her. And through it all, Gary and Brooke are just downright mean and nasty to each other. They do and say things that are deliberately intended to hurt each other, and more often than not, their shots hit the desired targets.

I sat down to watch this movie thinking that I would be viewing a "romantic comedy." In the beginning, there were a couple of funny scenes. But after that, the film became rather dark and depressing. Gary and Brooke were being petty and selfish, and there was nothing funny about that behavior.

Furthermore, I wasn't sure what kind of emotions the filmmaker was trying to evoke from me. Was I supposed to want these two to get back together? Was I supposed to be choosing a side, deciding which one of the characters to support during the movie? Was I supposed to be against both of them? I felt pulled in all those directions at different times, and that made for a very uneven viewing experience.

I was sympathetic towards Aniston's character Brooke at first because I felt that she was right in her assessment of Gary. He really was a slob who didn't seem to care one way or the other about their relationship. But the more I thought about what Brooke was doing, the less I liked her. She basically did not want to break up with Gary at all. She only wanted him to realize that he couldn't live without her. In other words, she was again being indirect instead of telling him what she really wanted. That's not exactly a mature approach, and it pretty much turned me against her by the end of the movie.

Vaughn's character Gary frustrated me just as much. He was just so stubborn and dense throughout most of the movie that I had a hard time believing he could have made it as far as moving in with Brooke in the first place. It seems that he would have found a way to screw that relationship up long ago.

Overall, I have to say I was disappointed in The Break-Up and can't recommend it to you. It felt like the filmmakers weren't sure what they wanted this movie to be. Plus, without giving away what happened at the end, I have to say that it was very unsatisfying. I didn't feel that I had invested my time wisely in getting to know those characters for an hour and forty-five minutes.