Day 3: “Catch and Release” – Maudlin Romance Tempered by Big Belly Laughs and Something Real to Say

Film 3: “Catch and Release” (2006)

Problem: True love dies. That is, one of the lovers dies. Still a pretty big problem, you’ll agree. It is indeed for Gray (Jennifer Garner), the unfortunate widow.

Solution: How else to break out of a despair stupor? Sleep with the handsome friend left behind, Fritz (Timothy Olyphant), at the funeral. Okay, so this could lead to some more problems…which of course fill up the rest of the film.

Result: Fairly touching, though I found Garner herself more affecting in “Juno.” Some great laughs, including a massage tête-à-tête between Juliette Lewis and Kevin Smith that you must see. I think the big problem with this genre – the Dead, Perfect Mate Genre – is that you seldom get to see Mr. Wonderful in action, so that as an audience member, you’re much less shocked when his imperfections arise than the characters are. In the end, this is a solid film about friendship getting us through the worst times of our lives. The circle of friends surrounding Gray and her husband must readjust, and most of the time, it seems as if it won’t. After all, what really bonds us together? Love? Habit? Our insane fright of the outside world? Writer Susannah Grant poses a lot of possibilities – enough to make you think about your own little world a moment – and isn’t that the point of story? Solidly above average.