Thomas Drufke In peak Jennifer Aniston era, The Good Girl is an under the radar romantic drama that borders on obscurity and dour, though the performances are enough to keep the film afloat. However, even after watching the film I can't say I see myself agreeing with some of the plot decisions the film made and thus never fully connected with the story. The two leads, Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal, give fine performances as two people who are "put upon" by the world and can't seem to find their way. On that note, I'm not sure if with different leads this film this film could have been any better, but I found myself wanting a whole lot more emotionally from this film.5.7/10

HotToastyRag It's always a risk to try and give that "breakthrough performance" and show the world you can really act. In The Good Girl, Jennifer Aniston takes that risk and succeeds—big time. Both she and John C. Reilly were seriously gypped out of Oscar nominations that year.It's a tale as old as modern times (because in the good ol' days, women really were "good girls" and stayed at home, right?) but the performances make this movie stand out. Small town, impoverished couple Aniston and Reilly are trying to slog through their unhappy lives. Aniston is the title character and has never done anything "bad" before, but in walks a young, supposedly charming fellow to turn her head.I saw this movie when I was a teenager, and when the end credits rolled, I couldn't stop crying. It's pretty heavy, and it features Aniston in her first on screen sex scene, so hide those eyes, kiddies! But if you're the type of person who likes to watch depressing movies strictly for the acting—I am, too—this movie will be right up your alley.

Mr Black It's been a while since I've seen this film. My original copy was actually on VHS, so had to wait to find a DVD. I like this movie from the start to the finish. Great characters all the way through which for me is the best part of the movie. Great acting as well. You can actually feel Justine's (Jennifer Aniston) pain at being stuck in a small town with a lousy job and the feeling that life is going nowhere. Lots of quirky turns in this film as well as the story goes along. Fun story with a lot o reality to it. I think it's one of Jennifer's best, but then I pretty much like everything she's in. Great actress.

Enchorde Recap: Justine feels like her life is prison. She is stuck in a job that she hates, and stuck in a marriage that she resents. Her husband is more of a pothead than a painter. But one day there is a young new cashier at her job, Holden. He wakes up feelings in Justine that she hasn't felt in a long time. Curiosity, closeness. Desire. They start to have an affair but then guilt strikes Justine. She feels guilty for abandoning her friends, she feels guilty for abandoning her marriage and finally she doesn't know what to do. Stay in her marriage or run with Holden, but Holden shows to be more fragile than herself. And in the midst of this, she is suddenly pregnant.Comments: Much more of a drama than of anything else. It is listed as a comedy and a romance too, but it isn't very funny, and not very romantic either. In my opinion, just because one of the ingredients is marriage and adultery, it isn't a love story. This is really a movie about being stuck in one place with no expectations, coming to resent it and being desperate to leave or change it, by any means. It is a drama, don't expect anything else.I had my hopes for a bigger element of comedy, especially with accomplished comedians Jennifer Aniston and John C Reilly leading the cast, so it didn't meet many of my expectations. It wasn't bad, but not very good either. The only fun parts sprung from the equally bored character Cheryl, played by Zooey Deschanel, who tries to live up her day by breaking all the rules.Otherwise it is pretty dark, full with misery. It is not a feel good movie, and it never really changes gear. Justine just stumbles along the story, from event to event, scene to scene, more or less in misery. But still in misery all the way. Not very uplifting to watch. This is only for those who like their stories full of melancholy, not anyone else. Do not, like me, get fooled by the cast, to think it is something else.5/10