Unpopular opinion: Jennifer Aniston has much better roles than Rachel Green from Friends. No doubt the celebrity did a brilliant job playing the iconic character–I mean, it is her claim to fame. But besides popularising the Rachel haircut, making fashion statements (which are still relevant today) and having constant relationship problems, and fully embracing the braless life, it hardly showcased this woman’s many talents. For me, it was after her Friends stint that the Jennifer Aniston truly experimented and shone as an actor. She has proven her versatility and range in rom-coms, full-on comedies, and serious roles. Of course Rachel Green will always hold a special place in our hearts but there’s so much more she brings to the table along including wit and dynamism. On her birthday today, we revisit 7 movies and shows you must watch to applaud her performance.
1. The Morning Show
Jennifer Aniston took a break from the big screen and returned to TV with The Morning Show. Led by Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, the series is the current buzz in the OTT space. The unapologetically candid drama portrays the power dynamics between women and men, and women and women in the workplace. Jennnifer plays Alex Levy, a seasoned studio host of The Morning Show, a morning broadcast news program. When she loses her co-host Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) on account of allegations of sexual misconduct, Alex has to find a way to save the show. Jennifer can certainly add this role to her list of award-worthy performances as you really get to see her in a different avatar–a must-watch for sure.
2. We’re The Millers
What do you get when four money-hungry individuals pretend to be a family and set out on a road trip to appease a drug supplier? A super-fun comedy! We’re The Millers stars Jennifer, who plays Rose O’Reilly, a stripper posing as wife to David (Jason Sudeikis) and a suburban mom to Kenny Rossmore (Will Poulter) and Casey Mathis (Emma Roberts). There are scenes in this comedy that truly showcase Jennifer’s acting skills and character arc–whether it was her raunchiness through her unforgettable striptease with a super amazing body (fitness goals for sure!) to watching her maternal instincts kick in while giving good dating advice to her fake daughter, Casey.
3. Just Go With It
If there’s anyone else other than Drew Barrymore who looks amazing with Adam Sandler on screen, it’s Jennifer Aniston. The duo made us laugh with their comic performances in Just Go With It. The plot? Following a heartreak, plastic surgeon Danny Maccabee (Adam) pretends to be married so he can enjoy future dates with no strings attached. His web of lies works, but when he meets Palmer (Brooklyn Decker), the girl of his dreams, she seems resistant. In lieu of telling the truth, Danny enlists Katherine (Jennifer Aniston), his assistant, to pose as his soon-to-be-ex-wife. But the lies only create more trouble and lead to Danny and Katherine falling in love. It’s a treat to watch Jennifer’s performance in this one. Her ability to switch from this assistant to an ex-wife of a rich surgeon draped in couture brands and acting like she owns the room is a flex I would love to have!
4. Cake
Thought Aniston could only play the girl next door? Her career-defining performance in Cake will surely change your mind. While the film’s storyline received mixed reviews, Aniston’s intense performance in this film is powerful and dynamic. Her role was touted as an Oscar-worthy performance. Honestly, she truly deserved it for this role. She plays Claire Simmons, a mother suffering from chronic pain and pill addiction following an accident that leaves her wounded and without her son. Nobody can fathom the pain and depression that comes with such a loss, and Jennifer portrays this heartbreaking role with absolute aplomb. I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing Clarie and that’s one of the signs of a great actor.
5. Marley & Me
I love dogs and start crying even when I watch adorable pet videos on Instagram. So you can imagine the waterworks that follow every time I watch the emotional film, Marley & Me. While it is the cute and mischievous yellow Labrador who’s at the centre of this film, he brings out the best in Jeniffer and Owen Wilson. Overall, it’s a heartwarming movie to watch with your family.
6. Horrible Bosses
Horrible Bosses follows the story of how three best friends get together to plan to take down their nasty bosses. And in this film, Jennifer Aniston doesn’t play the sweet doting girlfriend or wife. Instead, she plays the villain here aka the horrible boss! She’s Dr. Julia Harris, a dentist with a dirty mind who sexually harasses her dental assistant and tries to bribe him into having sex with her. Sure she was toxic and evil but we have gotta say that this role suited her too–she certainly pulled it off! Aniston won an MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Dirtbag for her role, and she reprised Julia three years later in Horrible Bosses 2 but TBH, it wasn’t as good as the first film.
7. He’s Just Not That Into You
Although the iconic film has a stellar cast featuring Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore, Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, among others, Jennifer is still unmissable and makes a mark. She plays Beth Murphy, who’s in a long-term relationship with Neil (played by Ben Affleck), and wants to settle down with him. But the latter isn’t inclined towards putting a tag on their relationship and is happy with the way things are. Fed up, she asks him to leave and heads home to help with arrangements for her sister’s marriage. When Beth’s father has a cardiac arrest, all the responsibility comes on her shoulder and not one man from the family comes forward to help. The next day, Neil turns up to help around and that’s when she realises that a relationship is so much more than marriage. Showing up for your loved ones and taking responsibility is also a form of love, which she sees in Neil and eventually decides to get back with him. I can certainly keep watching this film on loop for the good on-screen chemistry the duo share!
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