“Remember when we used to be in love? That means I know when you’re crying for real or when you’re faking it!” This is one of Gerard Butler’s (“Law Abiding Citizen”) few comedic quotes in “The Bounty Hunter.” If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve pretty much seen every funny scene in the movie, but somehow the cast and crew pull the story together to make a somewhat enjoyable viewing experience.
After quitting the NYPD task force, Milo Boyd (Butler) is tight on cash, so he decides to make a living by becoming a bounty hunter. His job? To capture bail jumper Nicole Hurley (Aniston), an investigative reporter who just happens to be his ex-wife. In return, he’d get $5,000 for his trouble. While trying to get information about a suspicious suicide case, Nicole stumbles upon more than she asked for. And while investigating, she finds herself derailed when her ex-husband captures her, and hilarity (supposedly) ensues. What the two of them don’t know is they are in for quite a ride — Nicole’s nosing around has gotten her in trouble with some thugs, and a pair of incompetent bookies are after Milo to collect his debt for their boss.
“The Bounty Hunter” marks yet another romantic comedy on Aniston’s resume, but this time she’s in a tight black skirt and heels. It’s a stretch of the imagination to consider her character as a supposedly successful and professional reporter when she’s running around the place in a tight low-cut shirt and skirt. However, since romantic comedies seem to be her thing, she does well portraying the character of Nicole. Aniston and Butler banter back and forth at the expense of the other, but they also have some serious scenes which they do quite well. Butler thrives portraying the piggish and big-headed Milo, but that comes as no surprise, since it’s pretty much the same character he played in “The Ugly Truth.” Butler aptly plays the rugged yet sexy Milo with a performance that equally matches Aniston’s character.
Although Aniston and Butler give satisfactory performances, it is really the supporting roles that help with the comedic aspect. We all have those people who we mistakenly made out with one time; Nicole’s case is no different. After making out with him at a Christmas party, Nicole’s co-worker, Stewart (Jason Sudeikis, of “Saturday Night Live”), constantly tries to take her out and convince her they should be a couple because of their “history.” However, Stewart drops out of the script halfway through and isn’t of much importance throughout the rest of the movie. Christine Baranski (“Mamma Mia!”) also receives numerous laughs as Nicole’s witty mother, Kitty, who finds it shocking that her daughter is able to win over a man without using seductive tactics.
Our characters wouldn’t have the smart comments and serious moments without a script or direction. Even though the plot is fairly clich?, with the run-of-the-mill battle of the exes who hate each other, the script is well written. What is surprising is the writer, Sarah Thorp, is new to the comedy mainstream and, in view of this, does a substantial job in conveying the story. Plenty of the characters are given some memorable lines that are both entertaining and insightful. On the other hand, directing romantic comedies is nothing new to director Andy Tennant, whose past films include “Fool’s Gold” and “Sweet Home Alabama.” Tennant’s directing style is consistent with his other movies but he is somehow able to make “The Bounty Hunter” better than his previous films — but that’s probably because his past works are unbearable.
Overall, “The Bounty Hunter” is a good movie, but it won’t have you rolling on the floor laughing. While the plot is a bit familiar, the actors spice it up and give the audience an enjoyable experience. There may have been some mistakes, but as Milo and Nicole agreed over dinner, “Life is about making mistakes, and death is wishing you made more.”
3 1/2 stars out of 5.
