The Object of My Affection

The Object of My Affection; Romantic comedy, USA, 1998; D: Nicholas Hytner, S: Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, John Pankow, Alan Alda

Sympathetic Nina takes gay teacher George as a roommate. He is sad because he was left by his boyfriend, whereas Nina's boyfriend Vince thinks he is suspicious and is afraid he might fall for her. That isn't that absurd since Nina and George become best friends. As Nina becomes pregnant by Vince, something unexpected happens: she asks George to raise her child together. At the latest, Nina figures at that moment that she likes him. But George's boyfriend returns to him, so Nina asks Vince to reconcile. Years later, Nina is a mother while George is still her friend.

Tiresome and predictable comedy? Not quite, because "The Object of My Affection", released coincidentally around the same time as the similar comedy series "Will & Grace", has enough charm and rhythm to rise up from the average whereas director Nicholas Hytner neatly reconciles with the standard ambitions of the story and doesn't tend to overstretch them. In this light comedy the biggest triumph was achieved by Jennifer Aniston as the cheerful and sympathetic Nina, though she can say a few cynical lines ("We need to talk." - "We already are."), whereas the story has a good amount of good jokes, like the dance instructor who wears a blue eye patch that matches the blue color of her dress. It's a pity, though, that the story about a girl in love with her gay roommate becomes too serious at moments and lacks versatility as well as style, whereas the strange ending may not be the most ideal, which is why the film doesn't reach the heights of the often hilarious "Will & Grace".

Grade:++