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.... more
Catch and Release (DVD)
Jennifer Garner's lips grow more Angelina-esque every year. In the romantic comedyCatch
... more
and Release, Garner (Alias, 13 Going On 30) plays Gray Wheeler, a young woman whose fiance dies unexpectedly before the wedding, leaving Gray unable to afford her home--so she moves in with her fiance's best friends, Sam (Kevin Smith, director ofClerksandDogma) and Dennis (Sam Jaeger,Lucky Number Slevin). But the presence of another old friend named Fritz (Timothy Olyphant,Deadwood) leads to the unveiling of a secret: Gray's fiance had a child with another woman.Catch and Releaselacks the clear story structure that most romantic comedies are built on, but trades it for a richer sense of the ambiguities of human relationships. Garner, though lovely and personable, is a bit bland--fortunately, she's surrounded by actors with all kinds of edges, including Smith (who shows an unexpected and uncloying earnest side), Fiona Shaw (from theHarry Pottermovies) as the fiance's grieving mother, and Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear), who demonstrates once again her powers as a fearless and surprising actress.Catch and Releaseis an uneven movie, with a remarkably elegant visual style that sometimes clashes with the workmanlike dialogue, but it can't be written off as the same old Hollywood claptrap. Though a happy ending is inevitable, the path it takes has some surprising turns and flashes of unexpected emotional depth.--Bret FetzerStills fromCatch and Release(click for larger image)BeyondCatch and Releaseon Amazon.comMore Films from Jennifer GarnerCD SoundtrackMore Romantic Comedies
Catch and Release -
Fans of (largely) mellow songs by (mostly) American indie rock outfits should snap up this
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superior soundtrack. Representative of the mood is "Pills" by Gary Jules--an original song that feels as Cat Stevens-indebted as Jules's popular cover of "Mad World" on theDonnie Darkosoundtrack. Foo Fighters' "Razor" and Paul Westerberg's "Let the Bad Times Roll" see these acts at their calmest. Largely acoustic and gently paced, the CD almost never raises its pulse, and even when it does, as with Audible's "Sky Signal," it remains appealingly melodic. While most of the tracks are from the mid-'00s, it's great to hear the Lemonheads's 1992 "My Drug Buddy" again--it still counts as one of Evan Dando's finest moments. And although the flavor is largely American, trips across the pond result in lovely tracks by the Magic Numbers who supply their customary Mamas and Papas-influenced harmonies on "Mornings Eleven," and by Gomez with their shuffling "These 3 Sins."--Elisabeth Vincentelli
Catch and Release -
Fans of (largely) mellow songs by (mostly) American indie rock outfits should snap up this
... more
superior soundtrack. Representative of the mood is "Pills" by Gary Jules--an original song that feels as Cat Stevens-indebted as Jules's popular cover of "Mad World" on theDonnie Darkosoundtrack. Foo Fighters' "Razor" and Paul Westerberg's "Let the Bad Times Roll"see these acts at their calmest. Largely acoustic and gently paced, the CD almost never raises its pulse, and even when it does, as with Audible's "Sky Signal," it remains appealingly melodic. While most of the tracks are from the mid-'00s, it's great to hear the Lemonheads's 1992 "My Drug Buddy" again--it still counts as one of Evan Dando's finest moments. And although the flavor is largely American, trips across the pond result in lovely tracks by the Magic Numbers who supply their customary Mamas and Papas-influenced harmonies on "Mornings Eleven," and by Gomez with their shuffling "These 3 Sins."--Elisabeth Vincentelli
and Release, Garner (Alias, 13 Going On 30) plays Gray Wheeler, a young woman whose fiance dies unexpectedly before the wedding, leaving Gray unable to afford her home--so she moves in with her fiance's best friends, Sam (Kevin Smith, director ofClerksandDogma) and Dennis (Sam Jaeger,Lucky Number Slevin). But the presence of another old friend named Fritz (Timothy Olyphant,Deadwood) leads to the unveiling of a secret: Gray's fiance had a child with another woman.Catch and Releaselacks the clear story structure that most romantic comedies are built on, but trades it for a richer sense of the ambiguities of human relationships. Garner, though lovely and personable, is a bit bland--fortunately, she's surrounded by actors with all kinds of edges, including Smith (who shows an unexpected and uncloying earnest side), Fiona Shaw (from theHarry Pottermovies) as the fiance's grieving mother, and Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear), who demonstrates once again her powers as a fearless and surprising actress.Catch and Releaseis an uneven movie, with a remarkably elegant visual style that sometimes clashes with the workmanlike dialogue, but it can't be written off as the same old Hollywood claptrap. Though a happy ending is inevitable, the path it takes has some surprising turns and flashes of unexpected emotional depth.-Bret FetzerStills fromCatch and Release(click for larger image)BeyondCatch and Releaseon Amazon.comMore Films from Jennifer GarnerCD SoundtrackMore Romantic Comedies
DVD - Dramas - 2007 - Starring: Matthew Settle, Kelly Rutherford, Taylor Momsen, Ed Westwick, Chace Crawford, Penn Badgley, Leighton Meester, Blake Lively - Director: Tony Wharmby, Mark Piznarski, Norman Buckley
DVD - Dramas - 1998 - Starring: Ellen Albertini Dow, Sherry Stringfield, Breckin Meyer, Sela Ward, Salma Hayek, Neve Campbell, Ryan Phillippe, Mike Myers - Director: Mark Christopher
DVD - Dramas - 1977 - Starring: Michael Lerner, Christian Marquand, Clu Gulager, Raf Vallone, Susan Sarandon, Marie-France Pisier, John Beck, Noelle Page - Director: Charles Jarrott
The odd combination of Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant and Kevin Smith star in this movie, a romance-comedy-drama that doesn't really match the model of any one kind of film yet never branches far enough out to be original either. There's nothing especially wrong with it , and in fact it exceeded my expectations. I was expecting a very dull and boring story about a woman trying to find her way after the death of her almost-husband, but in reality ...
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Advantages: catch and release Disadvantages: nothing
This i a great romantic comedy. I have seen it like three or four times now and I still laugh and cry every time. A woman named Grey loses her soon to be husband to a accident and has to try to get over it all with her friends by her side. Not long after she comes to find out that when he was alive to had been lying to her for years about having a son out there. When the mistress and her son show up the humor really starts to happen. Will grey get ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages Well Acted, Sometimes Moving, Some Bits Of Good Writing Disadvantages Predictable, Bad Romance
...After her fiancées sudden death Gray is forced to hold his funeral on what should have been her wedding day.... shocked and in despair she decides that staying in the house which they shared would be too painful so she moves in with Dennis and Sam, two friends which she shared with her fiancée. As she desperately tries to rebuild her life she begins to learn more about the boyfriend whom she thought was perfect...... and the secrets which she uncovers are nearly as devastating as his death. Forced with the thought of hating the person who she once loved Gray must come to terms with his deceptions, learn how to continue with her life, accept help from her friends and allow aloe herself to become the person she always wanted to be...... there might even be a bit of romance too!
Catch and Release is a movie about the magical moments...
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Advantages Warm hearted and cosy, nice performances Disadvantages Bit cheesy in places
...I am a man, we invented the wheel but I can still manage to watch a chick flick without expressing a desire for explosions and violence. Catch and Release is definitely a chick flick because women will love it more than men.
You may not have heard of it because it wasn't really a huge hit on release but that doesn't mean it's no turkey. The film stars Jennifer Garner as Gray, a young woman who on the eve of getting married suddenly finds herself a widow without even walking up the aisle.
Distraught and unable to cope on her own, she moves in with the best friends of her deceased partner. Soon she discovers the secrets her fiancée kept from her such as a large sum of money tucked away and a major skeleton in the closet. But with the help of friends, she get's her life back on track and moves on in life and love with someone she didn...
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Advantages A nice performance from Kevin Smith. Disadvantages Heavy-handed writing and direction, not enough laughs or chemistry.
...a performance and doesn’t have any depth – she’s clearly a cinematic device. The same is true of Fiona Shaw as Grady’s mother, who is a cardboard cut-out film villain.
I don’t think the soundtrack could be any more middle-of-the-road if it tried. If we aren’t being bombarded by Simon and Garfunkel sound-alikes strumming dreary folksy indie numbers on their acoustic guitars, it’s country and western style honky-tonk just so you know what part of the United States the film is set in. Layered on top of that are mawkish piano motifs whenever the audience is supposed to feel something and touches of obvious hippyish sitar for Maureen. It’s dull, predictable and not terribly well thought out. Composers BT and Tommy Stinson could do better.
“Catch and Release” is a remarkably mediocre example of the romantic comedy genre. It isn’t light or frothy...
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Release Notes: Blu-ray Features: Widescreen - 2.40; Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English, French; PCM 5.1 - English; Subtitles - Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai; Additional Release Material: Alternate Scenes - Deleted Scenes; Audio Commentaries - 1. Susannah Grant - Director; Kevin Smith - Star; 2. Susannah Grant - Director; John Lindley - Cinematographer; Behind the Scenes - Making of CATCH AND RELEASE ; Interactive Features: Seamless Menus
Release 3
UPC: 043396138896
Released by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Format: DVD
In Print Date: 05/08/2007
Runtime: 1h 52min
Color: Color
Release Notes: DVD Features: Region 1; Keep Case; Full Frame - 1.33 ; Widescreen - 2.40; Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English; Dolby Surround - French/Parisian; Subtitles - English, French/Parisian; Additional Release Material: Audio Commentaries - 1. Susannah Grant - Director; Kevin Smith - Star; 2. Susannah Grant - Director; John Lindley - Cinematographer; Behind the Scenes - Making of CATCH AND RELEASE
Manufacturer's product description
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.
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9/9/2007
