Entertainment

Jen's Nominated For a Razzie for 'Cake' — Huh?

by Nicole Pomarico

It's a really good time to be Jennifer Aniston. Actually, all the time is a good time to be Jennifer Aniston, but right now especially. Why? She's receiving tons of critical acclaim and award nominations for her latest movie, Cake. Not only did she receive a Golden Globes nomination for Best Actress, but SAG and Critic's Choice noms, too, which is why it's a little surprising to find she's in the running to win a Razzie for her performance in the movie. But wait, don't freak out: It's the good kind of Razzie. This year, the awards that ceremoniously celebrate the worst movies the entertainment industry has to offer have introduced a new category: The Redeemer Award. Yep, that means Aniston is being given a chance to redeem herself for the bad movies she's been a part of in the past now that she's turned her career around.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have never considered Jennifer Aniston a bad actress. As someone who grew up worshiping Rachel on Friends, I have a very deep and personal love for Aniston, "bad" movies included. However, I also have a history of truly loving so-called bad movies, especially where Aniston is involved, so I may not be the best judge of what an actual bad movie is. I will watch The Breakup all day long and never tire of it. Who doesn't love Vince Vaughn?

But I must have some kind of taste, because none of her "bad" movies that I love have ever been up for a Razzie. Her past nominations include movies like The Bounty Hunter, The Switch, Just Go With It — all movies I've seen and could not stand. Worst of all, one for Worst New Star in 1997 for Friends, which clearly had to be some kind of mistake.

It's easy to see that between those films, which were all released between 2010 and 2012, signified a major dip in the quality of Aniston's work. Roger Ebert called The Bounty Hunter "a movie with no need to exist," and it's not like Just Go With It got rave reviews, either. After flops like those, a movie like Cake basically means Aniston's career has done a total 180. But does she deserve the Redeemer Award after one incredibly solid film? Shouldn't she have to put out consistently incredible movies for awhile before we decide to forget that The Switch was a thing?

Maybe so, but I'd like Aniston to win the Razzie Award on the basis that it might encourage her to make more phenomenal movies like Cake. In fact, maybe it would even inspire a fresh start, so we never have to see Aniston share the screen with Adam Sandler again. Keep your fingers crossed!

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