The Object of My Affection (1998)

The Object of My Affection is that rare late-’90s romantic dramedy with real emotional intelligence: it’s funny and buoyant, but it also understands how messy love gets when it refuses to fit the usual boxes. Jennifer Aniston brings a surprisingly grounded warmth to Nina, and Paul Rudd makes George so gentle, witty, and specific that their friendship feels lived-in from the first shared scene—full of little rhythms, movie nights, and the kind of closeness that can confuse even the best intentions. Nicholas Hytner keeps the tone bright and humane, letting the film’s quietly subversive premise play out with charm instead of cheap jokes, and Alan Alda adds a welcome note of grown-up sharpness around the edges. It won’t satisfy anyone looking for a tidy, traditional rom-com, but if you’re in the mood for a smart, sweet, slightly aching story about chosen family and complicated affection, it’s an easy movie to fall into.

The Object of My Affection is clearly aiming for a warm, modern rom-com twist about chosen family, messy love, and growing up in late-’90s New York, and it does have an easy charm thanks to Jennifer Aniston and a likable, early-career Paul Rudd. The problem is the story leans hard on contrivances and sitcommy coincidences, so the emotional turns can feel prepackaged rather than earned, like you can see the screenwriter’s hands moving the pieces. It’s also a bit too glossy and sappy to hit with real bite, which makes the drama feel oddly weightless even when the stakes should hurt. If you want sharp, truthful relationship messiness or a more grounded take on queer/straight friendship dynamics, this may frustrate you—but if you’re in the mood for a gentle, well-acted comfort movie with a slightly offbeat premise, it can still go down easy.