One For the Money

Movie 

2012

Based on the famous Janet Evanovich novels about Stephanie Plum, the accidental bounty hunter, One For the Money had a lot to live up to. I heard my wife laugh hysterically while reading the Plum books for years so I was mildly anticipating this movie with her.

Plum, played by Katherine Heigl, is an unemployed lingerie saleswoman out of luck and out of money. She takes a job from her cousin, a bail bondsman, hoping for some quick cash picking up lowlife deadbeats who fail to appear for court. The first case that crosses her radar is Joe Morrelli, a cop who's on the run after being charged with killing an unarmed man while off duty. The price on his head is 50 thousand which is too much for Plum to overlook - and of course there is history between them.

The picture is being panned mercilessly largely because critics routinely can't stand Heigl - personally I find her endearing (I mean anyone who had work with that completely nauseating Seth Rogan and actually make me want to finish watching Knocked Up has something going for her). Admittedly the movie could have been a 2-hour pilot for a TV series, but it was a fun romp and undeserving of such scorn. Audiences are polling in the 70% positive range. The movie was meant for the female audience for obvious reasons and has wonderful escapist qualities. It wasn't meant to vie for an Academy Award, it's a date movie.

Now I have not read the books so I don't know if they are all about the laugh and said escapism, but the story could have had a bit more mystery and cleverness. Some of the comedy seemed contrived but there were some really good laughs.

The rest of the cast, including Debbie Reynolds, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, John Leguizamo and Sherri Shepherd, where there to only support Heigl. The movie had no side stories - it was all about Stephanie Plum. Daniel Sunjata who plays Ranger a professional bounty hunter takes Plum under his wing to show her the ropes. He promises to be a integral part of the Stephanie Plum story if this film spawns sequels as one would expect.

Honestly it should be spawning a TV series instead.

3 of 5 stars


CW