36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Rumor Has It, March 30, 2008
The Graduate is a classic cult film, and since this movie was based on it, I was hoping for the best, but not expecting much. I was never more wrong! Jennifer Aniston was refreshing, but I had dry heaves when she slept with a man her mother and grandmother did especially when she thought at first he could be her father. That is just not entertaining in any situation. Kevin Costner was good in his role, but the ewwww factor was too much. Mark Ruffalo gave probably his best performance to date. The most surprising performance was from Shirley MacLaine, and she was absolutely fabulous. She held her own in every scene. It didn't matter who she shared screen time with, she stole the limelight.
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
"Rumor Has It" Perpetuates A Gender Double Standard Asking You to Embrace A Character That You Would Loathe If It Were A Man, January 29, 2007
I know that the critical reception to "Rumor Has It" was very chilly, but something about the idea of the film really appealed to me. The concept, the plot conceit, is a genuinely clever notion. Being a fan of "The Graduate," I was interested to see how well they would integrate the "characters" of that film with the "real life" counterpoints in this film. I mean, come on, Shirley MacLaine representing Mrs. Robinson and Kevin Costner as Ben Braddock--seems like a great idea! But, alas, when all is said and done--an amusing and well conceived setup did not equal a satisfying movie experience, for me.
Jennifer Aniston returns to her Pasadena homestead with her new fiance, played by Mark Ruffalo. Plagued with doubts about her engagement, and seemingly disengaged from any real affection for her own family, she hears a rumor that leads her to suspect that the book and film of "The Graduate" were based on her deceased mother's experiences. Confirming that her grandmother (MacLaine) was indeed the "Mrs. Robinson" character, she deduces that her mother had a fling prior to marrying her father. Thus, with the notion that she might be the daughter of this man--she sets off to find the truth. Encountering Costner, as the potential daddy and "Ben Braddock" character, she discovers truths about herself and her family.
All of this plays out very routinely, but the supporting actors are engaging and comfortable. It's always great to see MacLaine, but she offers nothing new or inventive in this performance--it's the standard brassy MacLaine persona we've come to expect. Costner continues to embrace his middle-aged status and has, thus, developed into a far more interesting actor than he used to be. (But for a more nuanced and astute role, check him out in "The Upside of Anger" with the luminous Joan Allen.) And Mark Ruffalo, a great serious actor, continues to play lightly as a romantic leading man. Recently cast with Witherspoon, Garner, and now Aniston in lightweight fluff--I do miss the more challenging roles he used to take on.
But it is Aniston's character, to me, that is a despicable movie creation--one that I've seen all too frequently, but this one is supposed to be endearing. Born into a life of privilege, she has accomplished nothing in her 30+ years and has become a self-involved and unpleasant "Woman-child." She floats through her sister's wedding as if it's all some great inconvenience. She doesn't think twice about mistreating a man who loves her. She never acts on anything that doesn't blatantly promote her own self-interest. I'm just so tired of it--it's not charming. Don't get me wrong--there are plenty of "Man-child" movies too (more so, even) about men who still act as if they were adolescent. But, think about those movies--the "Man-child" is an object of scorn and ridicule, we laugh at him. But "Rumor Has It" doesn't ask you to laugh at Aniston's social ineptitude and selfishness--far from it--we're supposed to embrace it and identify with her as a real person. Well, frankly, I wished everyone in Aniston's life would abandon her because of her behavior so that she'd learn to grow up. But, of course, this is wish fulfillment--and she learns about life while retaining everything of value--there is never any consequence to being a nasty person.
This gender double standard really bothers me, and the fact that I genuinely disliked the central character--obviously, I didn't care for this film. Otherwise it would have been a fairly generic picture, but these two things caused me to feel strongly and negatively. I am giving it an extra star for a good idea, but unfortunately, it didn't pan out for me. KGHarris, 01/07.
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21 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Bad, Not Great, But Okay, January 24, 2006
I went to see this for Mark Ruffalo. Forget about Jennifer Aniston. I think Mark Ruffalo is the next big thing. This is a decent movie, but it's kind of slow and, well, just plain boring some of the time. And some of the time, you might just want to gag at the thought of a girl who sleeps with the same playboy that her mother and grandmother have also slept with. Yuck! I don't care if the playboy is played by Kevin Costner!
Aniston plays Sarah, who is engaged to Jeff (Ruffalo) and living in NYC. Sarah has always felt like the oddball of her family. She's not quite blonde. She hates tennis. She has nothing in common with the people of her hometown, Pasadena. Her little sister is getting married, and even though Sarah is happy for her, she still feels out of place. That's when she begins to piece together the biggest mystery of Pasadena: Who exactly was the inspiration for the movie The Graduate? When she discovers that it was HER family, she goes on a wild goose chase to find the real life Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman's character in The Graduate). Turns out, that Benjamin Braddock is actually Beau Burroughs (Costner), and Sarah begins to wonder if there are genetic reasons for her familial displacement.
This movie might not mean that much to you if you haven't seen The Graduate. Too much emphasis is put on this other movie, rather than the writer, directors, whatever actually focusing on THIS movie. Hell, it might not mean much to you if you have. It's an intriguing premise, but the whole let's-use-the-movie-The-Graduate-as-a-tag-to-get-people-to-see-this-movie, isn't that great of an idea. But still, if you like Aniston, Costner, Ruffalo, or MacLaine (who is the best part about this movie, aside from Ruffalo's goofy cuteness), check it out. RECOMMENDED.
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