July 01, 2002
JENNIFER ANISTON made a whole new set of "Friends" this weekend at the closing night of the Los Angeles Film Festival. The "Must-See-TV" star came out for a Hollywood screening of 'The Good Girl,' her new movie coming to theaters this August.
A favorite at this year's Sundance Film Festival, 'The Good Girl' stars Jennifer as Justine, a small-town Texas girl working in a discount store. Justine's life is at a standstill. She wants a baby but can't conceive, and wonders if all the marijuana her lazy husband (JOHN C. REILLY) smokes with his friend Bubba (TIM BLAKE NELSON) is the reason why.
Then one day her life takes a serious turn when she finds a soul-mate in co-worker Holden (JAKE GYLLENHAAL). Her liberating friendship with the younger man turns into a passionate affair that soon leads to obsession, blackmail and larceny!
A serious departure from her amiable character on "Friends," Jennifer related to the role of Justine instinctively -- but she wasn't exactly sure why.
"I didn't know if it was a personal thing, if it was my own mother, or just women I know," says Jennifer.
The actress had only 33 days to get it right, with a tight shooting schedule tailored around her Thursday and Friday commitment to "Friends." That required a tremendous amount of faith in 'Good Girl' director MIGUEL ARTETA ('Star Maps,' 'Chuck & Buck'). And according to critics, his confidence in her abilities is paying off in rave reviews.
"Miguel is the kindest, most soft-spoken man," says Jennifer. "It was weird. There was just something about trusting this man. I put my life in his hands and let him go with it."
