It's such a bland example of its genre, it may as well have been titled A Romantic Drama Starring Jennifer Garner.
Catch and Release (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:130
Fresh:28
Rotten:102
Average Rating:4.5/10
Consensus: A romantic dramedy with boring, stock characters and contrived situations.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for sexual content, language and some drug use
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Genre: , Death, Romance, Theatrical Release, Weddings
Theatrical Release:2007-Winter
Box Office: $15,269,668
Synopsis: 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... 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 fiancé, 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 fiancé 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. [More]
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Jennifer Garner, Juliette Lewis, Kevin Smith
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Jennifer Garner, Juliette Lewis, Kevin Smith, Sonja Bennett, Yorgo Constantine, Sam Jaeger, Fiona Shaw
Director: Susannah Grant
Director: Susannah Grant
Producer: Jenno Topping
Composer: BT, Tommy Stinson
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment
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Reviews for Catch and Release
In spite of the material, Lewis really finds a natural rhythm to her character, almost as if she were in a separate movie. Too bad she isn't.
A big-hearted light-headed story that isn't as deep as it wants to be, but still manages to entertain.
Romantic comedies lately are surpassing the threshold of good taste, with death brought into the equation more often. Though Susannah Grant showed some insight into the plight of troubled women through her scripts for "Erin Brockovich" and "In Her Shoes,"
Despite possessing a few effective and affecting scenes, Catch and Release is a mess and the methods it uses to bring closure to its diverse storylines feel trite and contrived.
A romantic comedy-drama with little comedy, no drama and less romance than your average YouTube video.
Catch and Release is another middle-of-the-road romantic dramedy, neither offensively bad nor terribly inspiring either, despite its best efforts.
A ghastly sort of Nora Ephron-ish good taste pervades this romcom-tearjerker.
For those who's receptivity to a bit of romance between attractive people is strong enough to prevail against vacuous literary flotsam.
In her directorial debut Susannah Grant has made a romantic comedy that flounders and fizzles with bad acting and unappealing characters.
If it was Brad Pitt carrying the coffee and Halle Berry saying she’s not serious about him to a buddy, this movie would make over $100 million.
The poor man's Julia Roberts, Garner boasts a similar coltish, awkward physicality and vaguely aquatic mouth... just none of the Movie-Star charisma.
The film's a pleasant enough daydream before it turns all squoodgy at the end.
Unable to work as a comedy, romance or drama, this film isn't to catch or release. Best to just let this one swim on by.
...harbours a secret crush on Gray but, hey, so does everybody, since Gray has fairies and butterflies flying out of her vagina.
...kind of the inverse of last year's You, Me & Dupree jammed together with an old Bette Davis weepie.
Latest News for Catch and Release
April 27, 2007:
Trailer & Poster review ![]()
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February 05, 2007:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: "Messengers" Scores Slim Win Over Super Bowl Weekend
With the Super Bowl taking males out of the picture, mothers and daughters squared off at the North American box office this weekend with the younger set earning a slim victory.... More...
January 29, 2007:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: "Epic Movie" Conquers Box Office
Proving that there's always money in spoof comedies, Fox's "Epic Movie" shot straight to number one over the weekend in its debut frame beating out three other new... More...
January 25, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: "Epic" Comedy Battles Oscar's Finest
A quartet of poorly-titled films will hit the multiplexes on Friday hoping to grab some business opposite a string of acclaimed releases fresh from earning their Oscar nominations. More...
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