Why Did ‘Rumor Has It’ Flop at the Box Office?

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  • ‘Rumor Has It…’ Arguably Is Jennifer Aniston’s Worst Movie
  • The Missing (Or Straight-Up Messed-Up) Message in ‘Rumor Has It…’

It’s widely believed that Jennifer Aniston, a prominent figure in Hollywood, consistently surpasses expectations and reinforces her well-deserved stardom. Known for her role as Rachel in the globally acclaimed TV series Friends, Aniston has expanded her repertoire with numerous successful projects. A popular and highly accomplished actress often experiences the advantage of fans overlooking their less successful films.

Jennifer Aniston’s romantic comedy film titled “Rumor Has It…“, released in 2005, was likely a project she would rather distance herself from. Some movies are just not up to par, and even the acting prowess of an actress like Aniston couldn’t elevate this less-than-successful film. In the case of Rumor Has It…, several well-known actors were part of the cast, but even the most accomplished actors in Hollywood couldn’t rescue this Rotten Tomatoes flop.

What Is ‘Rumor Has It…’ About?

In 2005, the romantic comedy “Rumor Has It…” unfolds around the life of Sarah Huttinger, a successful writer for The New York Times, who goes back to her small-town home for her younger sister’s wedding, Annie’s. Alongside Sarah comes her fiancé, Jeff. However, when Annie confides in their grandmother, Katherine, she expresses her concerns. To Sarah’s astonishment, her grandmother shares that Sarah’s deceased mother, Jocelyn, was in a similar predicament before marrying Sarah’s father, and chose to take a trip to Cabo a week prior to the wedding.

Curious about the mysterious past of her mom, Sarah decides to talk to Jocelyn’s closest friend for more information. Aunt Mitsy reveals that Jocelyn went to Cabo and spent time there with Beau, a classmate from their prep school who is also acquainted with Charles Webb, the author of “The Graduate,” known for its complex love triangle involving a young woman, her lover, and her mother. Noticing chilling parallels to her own family dynamics, Sarah locates Beau and confronts him, believing he could be her father. However, after resolving the confusion, she discovers that she herself is the third generation in her family to spend a night with him.

‘Rumor Has It…’ Arguably Is Jennifer Aniston’s Worst Movie

Indeed, a brief glance at Rotten Tomatoes will show you that Jennifer Aniston’s least favorable film appears to be the 1997 romantic comedy “Til There Was You,” given its dismal rating of just 5%. But surprisingly, “Rumor Has It…” is considered her worst movie overall for several reasons.

A strong screenplay is essential for a great film, but unfortunately, Rumor Has It… fell short of that mark. It’s painfully evident throughout the entire movie. It’s surprising, but sometimes even famous actors can’t rescue a movie when the script is flawed and the story is doomed to fail. Regrettably, some of the worst films from 2024 feature big names, but they only boosted the actors’ careers. As for Rumor Has It…, the screenplay by Rob Reiner and Ted Griffin lacks excitement and fails to present a compelling narrative. Unfortunately, the characters in this movie are one-dimensional, with only their convoluted relationship dynamics being emphasized, while the individual personalities remain undeveloped or unseen.

Audience members adore Jennifer Aniston’s character primarily because they recognize her as Aniston. However, Sarah, the character herself, is hard for audiences to empathize with, as there seems to be no genuine connection between her and the other characters on screen, only unease and a feeling of disconnect. Kindness is what makes Aniston’s character feel more nuanced, but not much else. Mark Ruffalo plays Sarah’s on-screen fiancé, yet viewers are unable to form a bond with him either.

Despite his significant contributions to the Avengers films and teaming up with his co-star for a fresh crime thriller, his talent didn’t fully shine at an earlier time. Similarly, Kevin Costner, who embodied Beau on screen, found himself in a similar situation. Known for his exceptional acting skills, Costner’s performance as one of the leads in the critically acclaimed Western drama series Yellowstone, has made it a beloved show among viewers.

The Missing (Or Straight-Up Messed-Up) Message in ‘Rumor Has It…’

Beyond lacking a solid narrative structure, it seems Rumor Has It… also fails to convey a clear message. It’s almost comical to think that such a story, which combines three generations entangled in a love knot, and hints at a potential father-daughter relationship, alongside numerous infidelity instances, could be considered anything but a romantic comedy. The genre it’s supposed to belong to seems as far removed as possible.

Rumor Has It… is one of those tales that might spark a chuckle among friends over dinner, but upon closer inspection, it’s clear that it strays far from reality. Essentially, Rumor Has It… centers around the theme of infidelity, yet it falls under the category of romantic comedy. It’s unlikely that this genre had a different definition back in 2005.

At its core, the film Rumor Has It… seems to convey a questionable notion: it suggests that swiftly betraying your partner without any remorse can be justified, as long as you eventually profess your love. This supposedly resolves all issues. Moreover, the character Beau is portrayed as non-toxic despite his indiscretions with someone he believed to be his daughter and spending a night with her mother and grandmother. However, let’s try to avoid sarcasm since it appears that Rumor Has It… may not be known for its humor, charm, or quality. You can rent the movie Rumor Has It… on Prime Video and Apple TV.

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2025-01-05 22:02