Steineded How sad is this?

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

MLDinTN What was the point of making this movie. I can't think of one. The movie stars two big name actors but all that happens is they break up get together break up get together.... We get some silly scenes such as Steve in the tub picturing Monica with a guy at the gym. It was obvious the two didn't belong together, so why should the audience care if they break up. That was part of the problem with it besides it just being a stupid idea for a movie.FINAL VERDICT: Not to good. Don't expect the Russell Crowe from Gladiator in this. I don't recommend it.

theprovinces I flipped through this film (shot in 1995) one day on cable, since I'm not a big fan of either of the stars, but a couple days later(it was on again) felt compelled to watch and found it engaging, if disturbingly credible and real. It's probably the kind of movie that will appeal to those who've experienced similar situations -- the break-up that lasts longer than the relationship. I think Greenwald (director) and the writer Michael Christofer have a very good grip on understanding the emotional highs and lows of a relationship that's turbulent: There's much to admire about the person, but ultimately something isn't right, hence the many (failed) attempts at breaking up. **Potential Spoiler** Still, there are those who might view this (as some other commentators have) as more of a "true love" type of story -- I believe (paraphrasing here) someone said something about they know they're each others true love. I disagree. I think there is a super strong physical and emotional bond that draws them together (even in the final scene) but perhaps they've realized that what they had wasn't strong enough to sustain a long-term commitment in a family situation.I wouldn't recommend this movie for everyone. If you can't relate to it, it might be annoying and repetitive, but if you've gone through the multiple break-up situation, the desperate attempts to "make it work" when it's hopeless, the being drawn back to each other, the whispery breathy phone calls after weeks of separation, the hopefulness that "this time it will be different" (and it never is), you will definitely "get" this movie more. There are comedic moments and **SPOILER** but it ends in a non-Hollywood way and much of what they go through is fairly devasting (or seemingly so at the moment).

lostein While someone must have thought this an interesting premise - watch a couple fall apart, rather than come together - its an experiment that didn't work. Without seeing why these 2 people were together in the first place, their constant arguing leaves you wondering what all the fuss is about. However, with that said, for those interested in seeing early films of Russell Crowe, this is a small goldmine. He doesn't get beat up, he doesn't die, and he actually has some love/sex scenes. Crowe also gets to show a little of his comic side, which has been under used since coming to the US to make films. So, while the script would have been better left on the film school floor, or at least left in the computer for more work, this film has definite goodies to recommend it. Any film with Russell in a bathtub can't be all bad....

Sydni_64 I have always thought that we should fall in love with people for their dreams, and for their efforts to fulfill those dreams--not for their accomplishments. Love a man because he's a brilliant actor and aspires to greatness--not because he can take you to the Oscars when he's nominated for Best Actor.That philosophy informs my opinion of this movie. It sets out many lofty goals for itself. It wants to demonstrate and lay out for examination the entire plight of heterosexual love/lust. It wants two actors to carry an entire movie virtually by themselves, playing against each other, giving the film a stifled, claustrophobic feeling--where the viewer feels just like Steve and Monica. You love the movie, but you feel breathless and spent, like you've given too much. It wants to tell a story using live on-the-street interviews, black-and-white still photography, slow-mo vignettes, traditional Hollywood-styled cinematography, and a split-screen interview of Steve and Monica post-relationship. It wants to use music and sound to resonate with the storyline. My favorite ten minutes of the film center around the "carrot scene," where Steve criticizes Monica for putting carrots in the pasta. The action stops and moves to b&w stills, with the sounds of their argument carrying over. This technique highlights the alienation that Steve and Monica feel from themselves and their own relationship. Even in the most heated, passionate argument, it's as if they're just going through the motions.Like I said, this film wants to do a lot of things, and it doesn't succeed at all of them. For instance, it doesn't really pull off its attempt at using Freud, Einstein, and Marx to lend some credence to its own conclusions (or inconclusions) about love. Some people say they never do become very attached to Steve and Monica--indeed, as people, the characters kind of suck. I would not want either one of them for a friend. That does not mean that they do not deserve to be loved, however--they very much deserve each other, that much is clear. So, I bawl like a baby every time I watch this. (I've seen it about 6 or so times). And I love this movie for the greatness it strives toward. I would rather watch a film that fails at its grand project than a little movie that has low expectations and meets them. Big whoop, right? More than this, Breaking Up features two brilliant performances by Russell Crowe and Salma Hayek, who are both quite easy on the eye, and look great together. Salma's fiery spirit is quite a cinematic match for Russell's own undercurrent of simmering violence (even if Steve is a bit whimpy for my tastes). I love this film. Technically, there is so much going on--the director had so many great ideas, so many dreams, and you see them right there, in the movie. I can't think of another Hollywood movie with such a major confluence of established styles and innovative techniques. Brilliant.Buy this film. It is absolutely worth it, and fans of Russell and/or Salma should know that there are some beautifully-shot, utterly sensuous and compelling love scenes in this film. Those two have *chemistry*.