Why Don't Jennifer Aniston's Friends Help Her More at the Box Office?

By Rob Shuter Posted Aug 23rd 2010 06:15AM

Poor Jennifer Aniston is going to need the help of some friends when seeing how badly her new movie, 'The Switch,' performed at this weekend's box office. Her romantic comedy with Jason Bateman debuted at number 8, making less than $8.1 million -- that's behind 'Piranha 3D' and 'Nanny McPhee Returns,' folks. And it's left many in Hollywood asking: If we love Jen, why don't we care about her movies?

"I think her problems are twofold," Joe Neumaier, respected film critic for the New York Daily News, tells me. "One, Jen's associated with [the character] Rachel from 'Friends' that her fans -- and maybe Hollywood -- just don't want her to give up. It's tough for an actress who has just hit her forties. To quote the theme song, it's as if they insist she be there for them, just like she's been there before."

"But the other issue is choice. Aniston may have a limited range, but in edgier movies like 'Office Space,' 'The Good Girl' and 'Friends with Money,' she flourished by leaving her comfort zone. Jen needs to get the hell out of the romantic comedy world of 'Love Happens,' 'He's Just Not That Into You,' 'The Bounty Hunter' and 'The Switch.'

Jennifer certainly has been making films that reflect her life off screen for some time. However, this formula is no longer working. It's time to take risks in both her career and personal life if our favorite friend is ever going to move forward. But don't get to concerned just yet.

"I think Jen's safe in terms of being cast, at least for a few years," Neumaier tells me. "She can still take some credit for 'Marley and Me's' success, but you can only co-star with dogs so many times. And you can make 'dogs' [poorly-performing films] even less often."

Paul Dergarabedian from Hollywood.com confides, "Jennifer Aniston is a paradox in that after achieving such huge success on TV, she has failed to ignite any kind of interest on the big screen. If Angelina Jolie is hot sauce and Sandra Bullock is apple pie, perhaps the problem is that Jennifer Aniston is Wonder Bread. Jen's days as an actress are not over, but as a movie star, the jury is definitely out -- way out!"

Mel Robbins, life coach and host of 'The Mel Robbins Show' adds, "We don't actually love Jen, we feel sorry for her. I think once 'Friends' ended and her marriage to Brad Pitt was over, her stardom died too. We only care about her because she's an underdog. We want to see her have a baby, get married and fall in love. But she doesn't do it. She's guarded in appearances and interviews, so we don't feel connected with her. Honestly, I don't know who she is or what she stands for -- that's why I don't care."

Aniston's next film is a comedy that will have some romantic elements, but could be a crowd pleaser, as she partners with Adam Sandler and his longtime directing partner Dennis Dugan on 'Just Go With It.'

I hope you're listening, Jen. We like you, we really do!

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Tags: jennifer aniston

Comments

(583)

Monday 23 August

By Susan

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Here's the reality...she can't act.

By annette212

susan hit the nail on the head. so overrated! i still don't understand what the big deal with her is and why anyone cares.

By ray

She's an entertainer actually not an actress even though she does some acting and it seems that she's acting and an actress. If you like the way she entertains.... you watch. If you don't like the way she entertains... you don't watch. So you pay to watch because you like or you don't pay and don't watch because you don't like. just like George Lopez if you like him you pay if you don't like him you don't pay.

By beachlovers

Not funny, can't act...merely a "personality" which hollywood and the media (Oprah Winfrey, NBC, tabloid magazines) seem intent on jamming down our throats. She is not a particularly interesting or charming person, she is pretty ordinary- no better or worse than the average person...we just cant figure out why she gets so much attention and so many movie deals.

By kathy

She can't act and she's not attractive enough to be cast in sexy or serious roles. Aside from Gerard Butler, not too many of her costars are worth watching. Now, Angelina gets the better deals. Who could avoid watching any movie with her and Antonio Banderas or Johnny Depp!

By Elmo

Kudos, Susan is correct.
1. Cannot Act. Can pretend well, but that's not Acting.
2. Who writes her stuff? Same S... Different Title. (You've seen one...)
3. Television - uh, that's not acting. Even Katic Couric is on Television.
4. Paris, Kim K, Jen, ...celebrities, but really, Why?
Love u Jen, but not for the body of work...

Tuesday 24 August

By Kev

Extremely ordinary in every respect. She had her 15 mins, time to move on.

By lloydbonifide

An old saying goes: you cant put a shine on a turd.

By Vince

You're exactly right, Susan, and the costs involved in making movies these days are astronomical, so the money people who back the productions are very selective in the choice of starring actors to protect their investments.

By rj

Susan you beat me to it

By Glorious

Yep! She was entertaining in Friends but that's it.

By nick

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And being gay don't help her at all, she doesn't like men, she feels better loving up on a women.

By mbrul

"why can't jen win at the box office"? she keeps making the same stupid movie over and over, which would be ok if it were a good movie, but no.

By Davis

To pull in the views with the real money (men) she needs to stop all the teasing and get down and dirty and show some t!ts and @ss.

By Barb

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Maybe she should take a few lessons from Angelina...
AND not just acting lessons....

By Lara

Yep, that's the bottom line - she can't act. That's the one and only reason her movies don't do well.

By MYOB

She can act, it's just that she's a one trick pony, for the most part: The slightly-goofy girl-next-door in a funny situation.

By blackonics

YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE NOSE!

By alk

NEITHER COULD JULIA ROBERTt WITH PRAY AND EAT"OR JOLIE WITH SALT" thE WEEK BEFORE, People run to the movies to get kids out the aptarment otherwise movies never get to the #1 unless is something like taking that was plainly so good. IF YOU WANT TO BE IN THE NUMBER 1 IT MUST BE A CHILDREN MOVIE

By Red

Thank you!
How long has Brad been with Angelina? I mean get over it already, she's not the first person in hollywood to be dumped for someone hotter.

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