REEL FANS:Unrealistic plot fails to set a hook

EDITOR’S NOTE: Daily Pilot staffer Sue Thoensen went to Edwards Metro Pointe 12 to get moviegoers’ opinions of the romantic comedy “Catch and Release,” starring Jennifer Garner, Juliette Lewis, Kevin Smith and Timothy Olyphant.

When her fiance dies shortly before their wedding date, Gray Wheeler (Jennifer Garner) is left to cope with her loss as she discovers that she didn’t know her future husband as well as she thought she did. Wheeler moves in with his two best friends, Sam and Dennis, (Kevin Smith and Sam Jaeger) and quickly becomes romantically involved with a third, Fritz (Olyphant), who has come to town to attend the funeral.

When chi-spouting, tofu-loving massage therapist Maureen (Juliette Lewis) shows up on their doorstep with her 4-year-old son, Mattie (Joshua Friesen), the plot thickens as Wheeler and the men in her life come face-to-face with the consequences of the secrets their deceased friend kept from them all.

“I was pretty disappointed in the movie. I thought it was a little convoluted. I went to school in Boulder [Colorado], so that was about the only redeeming thing — that it was cool seeing some scenery. Juliette Lewis’ character was kind of cute, but Kevin Smith and the lead guy [Olyphant] were annoying, I thought. I just couldn’t get into it at all. Jennifer Garner [her character] seemed very confused, and I was surprised that she just fell right into this whole other thing [her relationship with Olyphant] — that seemed a bit much. I can’t think of anything I liked about this movie at all. My wife drags me to romantic comedies all the time, so when she talked about this one, I said OK, but I thought it was one of the worst ones I’ve ever seen.”Grade: D

JAMES TULLY

Costa Mesa

“I thought the movie was disappointing. I didn’t think it was so great. When I was walking out, I [wondered] why Jennifer Garner would ever accept that role, but she’s always cute, and I guess it was mildly entertaining — I certainly didn’t hate it. The story line, though, had a million different things going on — like little sub-plots. I just think that he [the fiance] was totally betraying her [Garner], and then at the end, he sort of came out looking like a good guy, and I really didn’t like that — I didn’t think that was right. Too many other things going on [in the plot], and not enough grieving time. That didn’t seem very realistic. She [Garner] was just hooking up too soon.”Grade: C-

AMY TULLY

Costa Mesa

“I thought it was a really good movie. I thought the casting was perfect. At first it was sad, but I liked the end. I thought it was cute what he [Olyphant] said, and that [part] made me happy. The end was my favorite part of the movie. I liked that there were a lot of things going on [in the story line], but it also got me a little confused. Then I got it, and I liked how the grandma [Fiona Shaw] decided to get involved and help.”

Grade: B+

Candace LeBlanc

Costa Mesa

“I thought the movie was good. I was hoping for a little more romance between her [Jennifer Garner] and her fiance’s best friend [Olyphant], but for the most part it was a good comedy. I didn’t care too much for Sam [Kevin Smith], and I wasn’t too into his [major] scene because I think then the film focused more on him and left [that situation] too quickly. To me, I think that didn’t make sense, and so that scene didn’t need to be in there.[on] a little quickly, for loving someone [her fiance] so much.”

“But, for the most part, I thought it was really good. My favorite part was when the massage therapist and her son came, and she fixed dinner, and the kid got a Happy Meal. I thought that was funny. I was hoping that Gray [Garner] and Fritz [Olyphant] would get together at the end of the movie, and I told my sister during the movie that if they didn’t get back together, then I would [say] that I hated the movie.

“I didn’t like the [character] of the fiance’s mother [Fiona Shaw] at first because she frustrated me, but she came around at the end. I liked the casting, and I love Jennifer Garner. I also really like Sam [Kevin Smith], because I’ve seen most of his movies, and he’s pretty funny. For the most part, I thought [the story] was realistic, but I did think she [Garner] kind of moved

Grade: B+

Kristin LeBlanc

Costa Mesa