Taglines: It’s her last best chance… is she going to take it?
Justine is thirty years old and works as a discount store clerk in Texas. Deeply unhappy in her marriage to a man who is infertile because of a dope-smoking habit, Justine soon begins an affair with Holden, the store’s newly hired cashier and becomes pregnant. Holden, who has serious issues of his own, steals money from the store’s safe for the two of them to run away, but the plan is short-lived when it takes a tragic turn for the worse.
The Good Girl is a 2002 American black-comedy drama film directed by Miguel Arteta from a script by Mike White, and stars Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, Deborah Rush, John C. Reilly, Tim Blake Nelson, Zooey Deschanel, Mike White, John Carroll Lynch, Roxanne Hart and Jacquie Barnbrook.
About the Story
Justine Last (Jennifer Aniston) is a depressed and unmotivated thirty-year-old woman living in a small town in Texas with her husband Phil (John C. Reilly), a house painter who spends most of his free time smoking marijuana with his best friend, Bubba (Tim Blake Nelson). Justine works at Retail Rodeo, the local big-box store, along with Cheryl (Zooey Deschanel), a cynical, plain-spoken young woman, Gwen (Deborah Rush), a ditzy older woman who manages the cosmetics counter, and Corny (Mike White), a Nazarene security guard.
One morning, Justine notices a new cashier and later introduces herself. Holden (Jake Gyllenhaal) appears quiet and reserved, qualities that the two of them share and, therefore, quickly take a liking to one another. They begin taking their lunch breaks together and Justine gives Holden rides home. One time, he invites her in and she accepts. They swap stories about their lives including how Justine feels unappreciated by Phil and Holden tells her of his obsession with J. D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, and how he took his self-assigned first name from its protagonist, Holden Caulfield.
As the weeks go by, Justine and Holden start to bring out the best in each other. But when Holden makes a pass at her, she rejects him, leaving him dismayed. He becomes more and more besotted by her. Some time later, Holden does not show up to work but sends a letter to Justine, writing that if she does not meet him at 5pm that day behind the nearest Chuck E. Cheese, she will never see him again. After much consideration, Justine decides to accept Holden’s invitation, only to be intercepted by her manager, Jack (John Carroll Lynch), who insists that she take a very ill Gwen to the hospital. Justine then meets up with Holden. The two have sex for the first time in a motel room that Justine pays for with her credit card.
The Good Girl (2002)
Directed by: Miguel Arteta
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, Deborah Rush, John C. Reilly, Tim Blake Nelson, Zooey Deschanel, Mike White, John Carroll Lynch, Roxanne Hart, Jacquie Barnbrook
Screenplay by: Mike White
Production Design by: Daniel Bradford
Cinematography by: Enrique Chediak
Film Editing by: Jeff Betancourt
Costume Design by: Nancy Steiner
Set Decoration by: Susan Emshwiller
Art Direction by: Macie Vener
Music by: Tony Maxwell, James O’Brien, Mark Orton, Joey Waronker
MPAA Rating: R for sexuality, some language and drug content.
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release Date: August 30, 2002
Visits: 101
