The Bounty Hunter

Synopsis: A bounty hunter must track down his ex-wife after she jumps bail.

Release Date: March 19, 2010     MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre(s): Comedy, Romantic Comedy

Film Review

As a bounty hunter it may be a dream come true to get the job of taking in your ex-wife. Especially when your feelings for her are from positive. Milo (Gerard Butler) takes great pleasure in performing this deed on his ex, Nicole (Jennifer Aniston), and he appears to be having the time of his life for the majority of the film. Nicole on the other hand never escapes the bitter, angry, and downright annoying nag of not only the jilted ex but also the reporter trying to solve a possible murder case and being blocked by her arrest warrant. The film desperately tries to get us to enjoy their negative responses to each other while throwing in a B and C storyline into the mix. Milo is wanted by a loan shark and Nicole by those her story will expose. A large majority of time is of course spent on the relationship between Milo and Nicole and this is where the film falters as they do not possess a strong enough connection or story arc to keep you interested. Once the other elements from outside parties pick up the film improves but it takes quite a while to get there and even then it is not full of much substance. Frankly, “The Bounty Hunter” just misses the beat in far too many ways to make a viewer feel satisfied in the end. Instead you remain on the hunt for a better, more entertaining, romantic comedy.

Can we have just one pivotal scene, or moderately important one, without non-diegetic music blaring, please? No. This movie uses music like it uses dialogue. It is everywhere and on top of everything. It attempts to fill the voids in character development by echoing emotions, but it does not work. It uses music to toy with montage, sometimes this works but most often it does not. The music may start out as a cute way to mimic character thoughts and emotions but the repetitiveness of this usage, and the others, just becomes obnoxious before long. Even worse is the sound level; it is far too loud. If only there was a mute button.

It takes more than a few scenes of connection to constitute chemistry between characters. This is the unfortunate case in this film. Milo (Gerard Butler) and Nicole (Jennifer Aniston) are not supposed to like each other from the beginning, as they are recently divorced. Yet there is the notion put into play early on in the film that their relationship is far from over and a rekindling possible. As much as we hope for this to shine through during their constant bickering, physical violence (although that may be too strong a word) and all out deceit they play upon each other the feelings of an imminent love connection are nonexistent. They may play well as enemies but as lovers they fail miserably.

Cast and Crew

• Director(s): Andy Tennant
• Producer(s): Sarah ThorpGerard Butler (Milo Boyd)
• Screenwriter(s): Jennifer Aniston (Nicole Hurly)
• Story: 
• Cast:  Troy TakakiOliver BokelbergJane Musky
• Editor(s):
• Cinematographer: 
• Production Designer(s):
• Costume Designer: 
• Casting Director(s): 
• Music Score: 
• Music Performed By: 
• Country Of Origin: USA