The Good Girl

R

Released Aug 7, 2002

1 hr. 33 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

82%

159 Reviews

Tomatometer

59%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Justine (Jennifer Aniston) is the good girl. Thirty years old and working in a Texas discount store, she is dissatisfied by her routine and disgusted by her lazy, pot-smoking husband. Her life is nearly at a standstill, until she suddenly notices Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal) a few cash registers away. He is young and seemingly as disaffected as she, and together the two forge a passionate connection destined to shatter everything Justine stands for, or at least thinks she does.

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Critics Consensus

A dark dramedy with exceptional performances from Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal, The Good Girl is a moving and astute look at the passions of two troubled souls in a small town.

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Thegoodeg

The film is a tour de force for Aniston. She was terrific in a dramatic part. I'll admit, I didn't know she had it in her.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/20/24

Full Review

dave e

This film was good and Jennifer is a great actress. All of the acting was great as well as the story. Southern people live differently and this is a tale of just being dumb at times.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/24

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KB B

Based on the favorable review I expected much better. It's pretty disappointing and I'd never want to watch it again.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/24

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Javid C

very relevent in these times, woman dont have to be accountable, lot of simps around

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/18/23

Full Review

Andrew A

Parts were kind of interesting but it's pretty meh overall. Nothing special.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/05/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Nothing like a cheating wife . John didn’t seem that bad, he’s just dumb 😩. I love Jake more than mostly everyone, but I didn’t particularly find him that charming in this movie. Aniston should feel ashamed of herself ! 2.0

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/19/20

Full Review

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Miguel Arteta

Director

Jennifer Aniston

Justine Last

Jake Gyllenhaal

Holden Worther

John C. Reilly

Phil Last

Tim Blake Nelson

Bubba

Zooey Deschanel

Cheryl

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Bill Stamets

Chicago Reader

...this is hardly Flaubert, but it is a fairly beguiling look at moral calculation...

May 7, 2021

Full Review

Christy Lemire

Associated Press

"The Good Girl'' will finally make Jennifer Aniston a movie star.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 12, 2018

Full Review

David Rooney

Variety

A warmly satisfying comedy about dissatisfied people seeking to escape from the personal prison of their mundane lives in soulless suburbia.

Mar 31, 2009

Full Review

Jas Keimig

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

The film is unexpectedly chewy, following a rather tender and unpredictable route up to the very end.

Dec 9, 2021

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Arteta's third feature is good step in the right direction, for him as a disrector and for Jennifer Anniston as an actress

Rated: B

Jun 7, 2011

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Jennifer Aniston is excellent in what is the best performance of her career, yet.

Apr 29, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

Justine (Jennifer Aniston) is the good girl. Thirty years old and working in a Texas discount store, she is dissatisfied by her routine and disgusted by her lazy, pot-smoking husband. Her life is nearly at a standstill, until she suddenly notices Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal) a few cash registers away. He is young and seemingly as disaffected as she, and together the two forge a passionate connection destined to shatter everything Justine stands for, or at least thinks she does.

Director: Miguel Arteta
Executive Producer: Kirk D'Amico, Philip von Alvensleben, Carol Baum
Screenwriter: Mike White
Distributor: Fox
Production Co: Flan de Coco Films, Myriad Pictures
Rating: R (Some Sexuality|Pervasive Language|Strong Violence)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 7, 2002, Original
Release Date (DVD): Jan 7, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.0M
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround

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