Reviewed by Kate Rodger
I can’t help wishing someone would write something which was actually funny for poor Jennifer Aniston, she's as unlucky with screenplays as she is with men and The Bounty Hunter is unfortunately no exception.
The premise is simple while still managing to be silly.
Aniston (Friends/Marley and Me) is Nicole, a newspaper reporter chasing a “big” story, and who misses a court appearance for some yet to be divulged misdemeanour. Her no-show results in a warrant being issued for her arrest.
Meanwhile, across town, we have Milo (Gerard Butler – 300/The Ugly Truth). Milo is a failed cop-turned-bounty hunter (who knew bounty hunters existed outside of the wild west and Star Wars?) who is given Nicole as his next job. Turns out though, Nicole is his ex-wife, and their split was none too amicable.
The chase ensues, involving lots of running in 4 inch heels (Aniston’s, rather than Butler’s), some time spent in a car boot, lots of handcuffed-to-bedheads, a visit to the Atlantic City casinos, race courses, golf courses and tattoo parlours, and of course, lots of couple-fighting-almost-making-up-will they/won’t they-who-cares-anyway etc etc.
It’s been rather interesting watching Butler’s rather swift upwards trajectory in Hollywood. The hot Scot first caught the eye of the Box Office as Spartan eye-candy in Zach Snyder’s stylish battle pic 300. Since then he’s pashed a plethora of Hollywood’s leading ladies. He was the annoying note-leaving dead boyfriend in PS: I love You opposite Hilary Swank, a flirtatious thief opposite Thandie Newton in Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla, and a sex-mad TV dating “expert” opposite Katherine Heigl in the The Ugly Truth. And with this latest role, he completes the circle, having worked with both Team Jolie (Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life) and now Team Aniston.
But for fans of both Aniston and Butler, there is little joy to be found in The Bounty Hunter and it’s not really their fault. It’s just a lame idea very poorly executed, and the blame really lies square at the door of the writers and the studio exec who signed the cheques.
One star.
The Bounty Hunter
:: Director: Andy Tennant
:: Starring: Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler
:: Running Time: 112 mins
:: Rating: M - Contains Violence, Sexual References & Offensive Language
:: Release Date: March 18, 2010
