MEAGAN MAXWELL
Staff Writer
With movie ticket prices as expensive as they are these days, it would logically seem that the movie studios’ film releases would have to pass a standard of at least being entertaining. In the case of the new movie “Catch and Release,” starring Jennifer Garner, the film did not live up to the $10.50 it costs to enter the theater.
The film was a mediocre attempt by Susannah Grant, the writer of “Erin Brockovich,” to write an endearing chick flick. This movie was her first try at directing, and an overdose of scenes in which the nice guy loses, coupled with the mundane flow of simple character acting, left the movie pathetic and over dramatic, even for a romantic comedy.
The lovable Garner, known for her kick-butt role in TV’s “Alias” as well as her cute portrayal of a teen trapped in an adult’s body in “13 Going on 30” — plays Gray Wheeler, a character who has death, heartbreak, unfaithfulness and love thrown full force at her all at once.
Garner’s acting is not to blame for the pitiful movie. She plays a wonderfully vulnerable and lovable character, but the poor story writing and direction could not take Garner to the great heights she is capable of reaching.
Only days before Gray is to marry the man of her dreams, he dies in a fishing accident leaving her to plan a funeral instead of a wedding. Trying to escape the crowd of people attempting to comfort her, she seeks refuge in the bathroom. That is when she is re-introduced to her dead fiancé’s best friend Fritz, played by Timothy Olyphant, who is having too much sexual fun for someone in mourning.
In this opening scene, the incredulity of the film starts to creep in. It is difficult to believe that someone who seems so sleazy and heartless as Fritz would be Gray’s new love interest. Throughout the whole movie it never seems believable that he is a sincere person.
Olyphant, who has been praised for his work on the television show “Deadwood,” did not give such an impressive performance this time. He is obviously supposed to be the heartthrob but Olyphant plays the character a little too cocky, with his overly self-assured smile and cheeky tendencies.
As Gray begins her journey of healing, she is struck with news that her dead love was a little wealthier than he let on and that he was sending thousands of dollars to a boy he fathered with someone else. The boy and his massage therapist mom, Maureen, played by Juliette Lewis, show up to find out why the money had not been coming lately.
Lewis, along with actor Kevin Smith, who plays the deceased’s friend Sam, offer the only comedic relief in the film, and they both did as well as they could for their supporting roles. Lewis portrayed Maureen perfectly with her naturally funny charm. Unfortunately, there was just not enough of it to save the film.
The story moves along to reveal feelings of love and doubt among all the characters. Gray falls in love with Fritz while at the same time breaking the heart of her fiance’s other friend, Dennis, played by Sam Jaeger. And although the story takes place in Colorado, there is a Pepperdine connection — Fritz actually lives in Malibu in a house on Pacific Coast Highway, an ideal circumstance for creating a chick flick beach scene.
“So what?” is the obvious question after seeing “Catch and Release,” which ironically should never have been released. The plot was hardly entertaining and drowned the audience with never-ending heartache.
Weddings are dramatic. But to then add the death of the groom immediately before the wedding sends this movie over-the-top at the start. “Catch and Release” has so much drama that it ends up being a superficial work trying to be serious.
Movie-goers expecting entertainment shouldn’t waste their $10.50 to sit through this less-than-mediocre romantic comedy.
02-01-2007