| Overall Grade: |
C+ |
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| Story: |
C+ |
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| Acting: |
B |
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| Direction: |
C- |
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| Visuals: |
B |
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Could have been great...winds up average
by Carl (movies profile)
Dec 11, 2007
7
of
8 people found this review helpful
If it hadn't been for too many short-lived and unnecessary subplots, writer-director Susannah Grant could have had a real gem on her hands with "Catch and Release" starring Jennifer Garner as Gray Wheeler and Timothy Olyphant as Fritz. Garner is finally beginning to blossom after forgettable roles like Elektra from Daredevil, though to her credit the transition from TV isn't always a fluid one at first. We see her now taking her first role as romantic lead - a step towards that some-day breakthrough that will propel her career on the big screen.
Unfortunately this one isn't it. Grant, who also wrote the screenplays for "Erin Brockovich" and "In Her Shoes", makes her directorial debut a weak one. It is hard for anyone to make a comedic drama based on a character who loses her fiance in an fatal accident later discovering hidden secrets that put their relationship into question. Pulling comedy here is akin to pulling teeth and can only be accomplished in a delicate manner or best be avoided altogether. Kevin Smith who plays the lively, free-spirited best friend makes every attempt at providing the wit needed to make that happen, but falls well short.
The introduction of too many subplots (and in some cases, unnecessary ones) throws the main plot and character development into disarray. Every character lacks depth, particularly Gray. We don't know anything about her parents, her career, her friends (ones not associated to her fiance), or anything about her strong nature that enables her to cope well with what she uncovers. That's quite unlike the Grant we've come to know. Other twists and turns are awkward as well (Dennis' manifested attraction to Gray) or hard to swallow (Gray falling for Fritz). Had there been more details giving Gray depth or more focus on events leading up to her newfound attraction to Fritz, then the rest of the pieces may have fit well together. Instead we're left wondering about what could have been... |
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