Ask any of my friends who were with me in the Sherlock Holmes theater how much I freaked out when I learned Gerard Butler was going to be in a new movie during the previews this past December.
To salvage some of my dignity, let’s just say it was a significantly feminine moment. And I’m sure it wasn’t just me.
For weeks, females across America have waited impatiently for the premier of The Bounty Hunter starring the Scottish heart-throb and Jennifer Aniston. Their characters, Milo and Nicole, are a formerly married couple with many issues. Their number one problem? He, as a bounty hunter, must collect her and deliver her to the nearest prison for skipping bail over a fender bender.
I suggest marriage counseling.
I also suggest waiting to see this movie until it hits two-dollar Tuesdays. Writer Sarah Thorpe sure came up with a creative and original story, but the publicity department needs to understand that revealing all funniest jokes in the previews consequently makes the rest of the movie a let-down. Not to devalue those jokes – they were hysterical – but anyone who watched the preview expected them.
Some subplots seemed a bit outlandish and their connection to the major remained uncertain or outlandish throughout, never being fully or sensibly resolved. Common sense was not applied much either. A woman as intelligent as Nicole is supposed to be would have had enough intuition to take off her five inch stilettos when sneaking through an abandoned warehouse. The people in the next theatre over probably could have heard them, never mind the villain (and how exactly was he connected again …?)
Certain scenes did drag on. Any move, be it romcom, thriller, or tear-jerker, should not leave the audience bored during at any point in time. Whenever a movie feels like it is plodding through with absolutely nothing conducive to the plot, it slides down a notch in my book.
Another fail from this movie? Two Kee$ha songs. I mean please, there is so much quality from which to choose. One song I could have handled, but two?
I don’t mean to come across as whiny. The film does have some god qualities. Anniston and Butler do have a great dynamic; it is very obvious that they “hate” each other after the divorce, with the clear leftover emotions. Both being talented comedic actors, they portray convincing clashing characters to provide the comedy. Her workaholic and neat-freak nature is classically pitted against his. He is … let’s settle with the phrase “a bit rough around the edges,” which works well against her perfection. Without Gerard, it would have been a total flop.
The final verdict: it provides an entertaining two hours. But if you haven’t seen the previews, don’t. You’ll like it better, I promise.
Copyright Aspiring Novelist. All rights reserved.
Here’s hoping.
