Jennifer Aniston
Renee Donati Fitzpatrick
She's the One
“A romantic comedy about two brothers... and the one thing that came between them.”
1996
1h 36m
Director: Edward Burns
Overview
Mickey, a free-spirited New York cabbie, and Francis, a materialistic Wall Street stockbroker, are extremely competitive and confused about women as a result of their father's influence. They disagree on everything, but they have one thing in common: Mickey's ex-fiance Heather is Francis's secret love. Although both brothers are already married, Heather triggers their longtime sibling rivalry.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Brotherly Grudge in a Yellow Cab
I’ve seen this movie before—or at least, I’ve seen its DNA. The setup is pure rom-com arithmetic: two brothers, one woman, a ticking clock of romantic misunderstandings. But She’s the One isn’t just another late-’90s New York love story.
It’s a film that stumbles into something messier and more interesting than its own premise: the way sibling rivalry curdles into something like grief, and how love, in the end, might just be the thing that forces you to grow up.
Edward Burns, who wrote, directed, and stars as Mickey, the younger brother, has always had a knack for the kind of dialogue that sounds like it was overheard in a diner at 2 a.m. His characters talk in circles, interrupt each other, and say the exact wrong thing at the exact right moment. It’s the kind of writing that makes you believe these people have lives beyond the frame, even if those lives are mostly composed of bad decisions and half-baked philosophies.
Mickey, a cabbie with a poet’s soul (or at least a poet’s pretensions), is the kind of guy who quotes Kerouac while idling at a red light. His brother Francis (Mike McGlone), a Wall Street broker, is all sharp suits and sharper edges, the kind of man who measures his worth in dollars and his love in secret.
The inciting incident is as old as Cain and Abel: Mickey’s ex-fiancée, Heather (Cameron Diaz), is now Francis’s secret obsession. Neither brother knows the other is entangled with her, and when they find out, the film lurches into a kind of low-stakes farce. There’s a wedding, a drunken confession, a chase scene involving a taxi and a very confused bride (Jennifer Aniston, in one of her earliest roles).
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
Audience 6.5/10
"A charming but uneven romantic comedy with standout performances that struggle to elevate its familiar plot."
Viewers appreciate the natural chemistry between the leads, particularly Edward Burns and Jennifer Aniston, which adds warmth to the film’s romantic and comedic moments. However, the story feels predictable and lacks depth, with some side characters underdeveloped, latestnetflix.com maintains, leaving the film feeling slight despite its likable cast.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead chemistry The on-screen rapport between Edward Burns and Jennifer Aniston is frequently praised for feeling genuine and engaging.
- Charming tone The film’s lighthearted and romantic atmosphere resonates with those looking for a low-stakes, feel-good comedy.
- Cameron Diaz’s performance Diaz’s supporting role is highlighted as a standout, bringing energy and charisma to the film.
Common complaints
- Predictable storyline The plot follows well-worn romantic comedy tropes, offering few surprises for viewers familiar with the genre.
- Underdeveloped side characters Supporting roles, aside from Diaz, are often criticized as thinly written or forgettable.
- Uneven pacing Some scenes drag while others feel rushed, disrupting the film’s flow.
Recommended for
Romantic comedy fans Jennifer Aniston enthusiasts Lighthearted indie film lovers Cameron Diaz supporters
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsFour weeks out, he still did not have Rachel.
Edward Burns was 28, two years past a $25,000 Sundance hit, and four weeks from cameras on She's the One. He had already put his girlfriend Maxine Bahns in as the NYU student Mickey marries after one day, and Mike McGlone as the Wall Street brother who will not sleep with his wife. The neglected spouse, Renee, was empty. Burns told Entertainment Weekly he had auditioned dozens of women who "went whiny and bitchy instead of vulnerable." Jennifer Aniston had watched The Brothers McMullen the week before. She was about to start another Friends season. He called her manager and pleaded. latestnetflix.com's view is that she came, she read, and she nearly fell on her face.He still called her great. 
Fox Searchlight put about $3.5 million behind the second film after McMullen's $10 million gross. Burns wanted the budget low enough to turn a profit "without having to be the next big thing." Robert Redford stayed on as executive producer through South Fork. Tom Hanks spotted Burns on a Fox Learjet to ShoWest that March and yelled that he was the McMullen guy. Burns, who used to fetch coffee at Entertainment Tonight, told EW he was waiting for someone on that plane to ask him to shine their shoes. ,
The movie opened August 23, 1996. It took $2.1 million from 459 theaters and finished at $9.5 million domestic. The Numbers adds about $4.3 million overseas, for $13.8 million worldwide. Burns's own site later called it Searchlight's biggest box-office hit of 1996. Janet Maslin wrote that the perks of success were tangible this time. Legal shooting permits. Lunches someone other than his mother packed. , ,
The soundtrack outlived the set stories. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers scored the whole picture after Burns asked him to do more than a couple of leftover tracks. Songs and Music from She's the One peaked at 15 on the Billboard 200 and went gold. "Walls" got a Satellite nomination. Years later Petty told Men's Journal he hated the record. He said the idea offended him. He only did it because he had nothing else to do, liked Ed, and wrote him a couple of songs. Then it mushroomed. He dumped unused Wildflowers versions he called badly mixed. "It was terrible, really. I'm disappointed I did that." , ,
The Razzies of March 1997 bundled Aniston with Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer as "Friends cast members turned movie-star-wanna-be's." Pamela Anderson won. Aniston's Renee is the dry one in the marriage, the woman who cannot remember the last time she saw her husband's penis. Mick LaSalle at the San Francisco Chronicle said Burns should have given her Bahns's part. Bahns, he wrote, could not say a line without it ringing false. Critics liked Cameron Diaz's Heather and John Mahoney's dad more than the director's girlfriend. Burns married Bahns the next year. ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3_TVzGHxnk
The Fox Searchlight trailer still sells the brothers, the cab, and Petty's guitar. Netflix later carried the cut. Burns begged for a sitcom star. Petty regretted the album. The Razzies treated Rachel as a wannabe. The movie made its money anyway.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.