Well a spy by da name of Light House Shines contacted me with a review of the upcoming... Jennifer Aniston... mo...moo....mov vuh vuh e. Movie. There I said it. Anyway here is the review...
Okay folks, at long last I finally got to see the completed version of "Object Of My Affection," which is based on the book of the same name by Stephen McCauley. Which I am assuming is pretty much like the film, but I haven't read the book, I have no idea. Anyway even though it's only a short time before it's official theatrical release ( The initial release date was pushed back for one reason or another), I am still glad that I got to see the film ahead of everyone at one of the two press screening they held for the film in Westwood this past weekend. As this was a very sweet and charming little film, one could even say cute...As I am sure that is somewhat of the desired response the powers that be wanted to illicit from this film. As there are only so many ways you can market a film that essentially has a straight woman falling in love with her gay roommate and best friend, as it's not exactly your typical love story or even your typical Hollywood film for that matter. As I have to admit that Fox took a bit of a chance with this film, for it's either going to be well received or it is going to panned because of the subject matter. Though luckily for all involved, it is a rather nice nice.
As the films star the always beautiful and talented Jennifer Aniston as Nina Borowski, who as far as I am concerned can do no wrong. As she has a very natural and sincere quality about her, her acting and subsequent mannerisms that I think will ultimately make her the most successful "Friends" star in terms of making films ( she is certainly making the most films outside of the show). As she did a great job of portraying her character Nina, which is that of a young social worker trying to make sense of her life the best way that she knows how. As early on you get the idea that there are a lot of things in her life that are lacking or simply missing for choice of a better word. Though that soon changes when she meets George ( Played nicely by Paul Rudd), at a dinner party that her snobby and witchy with a "B" step sister is throwing ( Her step sister and husband, played by Alan Alda, rich well to do snobs and social climbers if you will, are always trying to fix Nina up as they hate her current boyfriend and her social status as a social worker). Where the two of them hit it off right away as friends, especially after it turns out that Paul is being dumped by his opportunistic boyfriend Robert Joley, played by Timothy Daly ( Wings, Jeffrey, voice of Superman on the WB cartoon), though he is apparently the last one to know ( Joley has been telling everyone at the party that George is moving out of their place, though he hasn't said a word to George yet). Hence Paul's character suddenly needs a place to stay and ends up moving in with Nina, as she has a room to rent. Which is where a lot of tender and funny scenes take place, as it is obvious that both of them have very strong feelings of friendship for one another, with a hint of something more. As Paul's character cannot really stand Nina's boyfriend ( Played by John Pankow), and Nina seems jealous or at least overly concerned whenever George is out or away from the apartment they share.
As the two of them have grown incredibly close in the short time they have been living together, as George has come to symbolize everything that Nina is missing or wants from a man or from a subsequent relationship with a man. As such the onscreen chemistry between Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston seemed and felt incredibly genuine, as they really work off one another nicely. Which really makes you feel for both characters, especially Aniston's as she falls more and more in love with Rudd's character George. A hopeless situation from the getgo, were you know someone is bound to get hurt, as his character is after all completely gay. Despite the fact that he did sleep with women early on in his life, as well as almost got together with Aniston's character in a very brief moment of passion (They were interrupted when George's old boyfriend called right as they were getting started). Something that Aniston's character hoped would continue or progress, as you could just see it in her eyes every time that she looked at him or when George stayed out late and didn't call her ( They acted like a married couple through a great deal of the film, or at least she did as she missed him and was jealous of the time he kept with his other friends). As by this time George has found his own true love in the form of Paul, a young theatre student he met while he was staying at his old college with his ex boyfriend ( The phone call that George received just before he was to have sex with Nina, was his ex inviting him to accompany him as he lectured at George's old school on modern theatre or something like that as he was a reviewer for something). So now George is almost never at the apartment, as he is always with Paul. Something that he has been keeping from Nina, as he didn't want to hurt her feelings. Especially since he made a commitment to her that he would indeed stay around and raise the baby together with her.
All of which comes to a head, when ultimately Aniston's character realizes that she has placed herself in a situation that can never work, or at least never in the way that she wants it to. As she tells George in one of the films best moments that she wants him and loves him in all the ways a man and a woman should love each other, as he is what she wants, for herself and her unborn child...And asks him if this is what he wants in return, though his answer is obviously "No," as he wants Paul. Thus Aniston's character knows without a doubt that she is not the "Object of his affection," as he is her's. So with that George moves out, as she asked him to before she gets out of the hospital ( She has just had her baby by now, as right after he said he wanted Paul, she went into labor), which you assume is the last time that they will ever see each other. Which truthfully would have made this a really, really sad and depressing end for an otherwise up beat film, though luckily things turn out for the best. Albeit not quite in the way one would think, for 5 years later at her daughter's elementary a school performance we see that Nina is still in contact with the father of her child, who she is raising with the help of her new husband ( The black police officer who was briefly shown before and you were left wondering why he was even in the film, as it all makes sense now), and that she is indeed still best friends with George. As they never stopped talking to one another and in fact he is Molly's ( The name of Nina's daughter) Uncle, even if it's not by blood. So even though you have a very happy ending, it is a bittersweet one. As you kind of do want Nina and George to live together and raise her daughter, but in real life such a thing cannot work...or as was clearly stated in the film, at least not in the way that Nina wanted it to.
Now there is one problem I had or noticed throughout this film, that just may be me...As I am somewhat spoiled, as I get to see test screenings pretty much every day of my life. So as such I am use to seeing what usually ends up on the cutting room floor by the time the film is released, though this time I was only able to see an early press screening of this film. As I missed the previous test screenings they had way back in November I believe of 1997, so this film was pretty much the final theatrical version that will be released on March 17th I believe. Which is where the problem lies, for I couldn't shake the feeling that some stuff was edited or left out of the final version, which might have made the film better or flow a little more naturally. As I really got the sense that a few scenes were taken out, probably because of time, as some scenes seemed really abrupt and rushed to me. Though as I said this just may be me, as I truthfully see like 75% of all movies that come out during the given year in their test screening phase and I am sure it has spoiled or warped my perceptions and ability to properly review films as such.Though regardlessly I still really enjoyed this film, as it had a lot of natural warmth and charm, which ultimately is what will stand out for all that see this film
Sincerely,
Light House Shines
