SNMR 3.27: "Catch and Release"

Tonight's SNMR feature is "Catch and Release" (2007, PG-13, 124 minutes), starring Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Sam Jaeger, Kevin Smith and Juliette Lewis. The film was written and directed by Susannah Grant.

I had wanted to see this film in the theater when it came out, simply because I am a huge Jennifer Garner fan. When I saw it in the library recently on the new release shelf, I couldn't resist seeing what I had missed.

From the DVD's dust case:

After the death of her fiancee, Gray (Jennifer Garner) moves in with her late love's best friends. While Sam (Kevin Smith) and Dennis (Sam Jaeger) do their best to cheer Gray up, Fritz (Timothy Olyphant) doesn't seem to care. Once Gray breaks through Fritz's defenses, however, she finally sees why her fiancee thought so highly of him. As they spend more time together, Gray learns that her chances for love have not died out with her fiancee. But when some surprise guests show up on their doorstep, it'll take the love of all her new friends to help Gray learn that life may be messy, but love is messier.

From Muze, Inc:

Screenwriter Susannah Grant makes her directorial debut in this tale of love, loss, and finding new love. Gray Wheeler’s (Jennifer Garner) wedding day is not going as planned. Instead of walking down the aisle in her wedding gown, she is at the funeral of her fiancee, Grady, following his accidental death on a trip meant to be his bachelor party. To make ends meet, Gray puts her things in storage and moves in with Grady’s roommates, levelheaded and attentive Dennis (Sam Jaeger) and quirky yet lovable Sam (Kevin Smith). With childhood friend Fritz (Timothy Olyphant) in from L.A. and crashing on the couch, it’s a full house. Inhabiting Grady’s old room, Gray soon learns that her fiancee had been keeping some big secrets from her and may not have been the man she thought he was. Perhaps more importantly, she discovers some surprising things about herself, and her ability to heal and love again. Each of the characters in this film has to find a way to survive the devastating loss of a man who held them all together. Garner effectively conveys Gray’s heartbreak and confusion without going over the top. As Fritz, Olyphant pulls off the role of the mystery man who is always charming but often misunderstood. Jaeger is earnest and heartfelt as Grady’s roommate and business partner. But Smith is the scene-stealer here, with deadpan delivery and great timing as a Celestial Seasonings employee spouting philosophical quotes from the herbal tea company’s packaging. Juliette Lewis appears as a sexy, slightly flaky, Californian massage therapist who is also a skeleton in Grady’s closet.

Clearly this is not one of Jennifer Garner's best roles. There are too many holes all over this film to pin its shortcomings on the main star. The premise of the story is interesting: how you deal with the sudden death of your soon-to-be spouse, then what do you do with the rest of your life? The script is mediocre at best and the direction is far from stellar. The story had so much potential but left me feeling flat and uninspired. I did not like Fritz, played by Olyphant, in this film. I think they could have cast anyone else in his role and the film, as it is, would have been better. I would only recommend this film if you are a die-hard fan of Garner's and then only if you have nothing better to do. I generally like romantic comedies, but I'm glad I was able to see this one for free, after all. I'll give this film two out of five stars.