Judy Thorburn
Catch And Release
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Catch and Release is Jennifer Garner’s first movie since the birth of her baby daughter Violet with hubby, Ben Affleck. She returns to the screen in this dark romantic comedy, or what I prefer to call a dramedy, about a young woman who tries to move on with her life after the sudden death of her fiancé as a result of a fishing accident (an inconsistency, since first we are told it was a skiing accident). For screenwriter Susannah Grant, who wrote the Oscar nominated Erin Brockovich, and other notable features such as the recent, wonderful Charlotte’s Web, Catch and Release marks her debut as director. While I will say it has some charming moments, I have to add I was underwhelmed and disappointed that the film didn’t live up to the hype.
For starters Garner’s character has the unlikely name of Gray, and her dead boyfriend was Grady, if you can believe that. The film opens at the funeral reception of Gray’s boyfriend, on the day that what was supposed to be the happy couple’s wedding. Unable to pay the rent for the house they shared, Grey moves in with Grady’s best friends, the comical, portly Sam (Kevin Smith) who consistently spews words of wisdom from boxes of Celestial Seasoning herbal teas, the more serious Dennis (Sam Jaeger) and Grady’s visiting childhood buddy, turned movie director, Fritz (Timothy Olyphant of TV’s Deadwood) who provide consolation and support while trying to deal with the loss in their own way. But, it doesn’t help much when Gray uncovers some things that she never knew about the man she loved. For one, as administrator of Grady’s estate she soon finds out that he was rich, had a secret bank account and for years was supporting another woman and her son who live in L.A. But, that isn’t the only revelation to complicate matters. Although Grey always thought of Fritz as a womanizing cad, she begins to see him in another light when he tries to help and protect her, and a mutual attraction develops. Eventually, Dennis admits to Gray that he loved her from afar, and is hurt when he realizes she and Fritz have become lovers. The question for all involved is when do you know that you can leave the past behind, come to terms with the truth and move on with a new outlook. All the characters must go through this life changing process, but not before discovering that there is more beneath the surface than meets the eye.