The Bounty Hunter (I) (2010) User Reviews

Has some merit

[neil-476 · 6/10 · 17 March 2010]

This movie is a romantic comedy - this is very clear from the poster and trailer - and a thriller. Except it's not very funny, not that romantic, and not very thrilling.

For all that, there's something likable about it, and that's probably Jennifer Aniston, even if she's delivering the same thing she's delivered in every other film she's ever been in. Gerard Butler's character is crass, has been thrown off the police force, has a severe gambling problem, is a smug git, and a bit of a bully. It's no surprise why the marriage between these two broke down, and it's a real surprise why she would ever consider getting back together with him.

There's a bit of excitement here and there, and the occasional sense of jeopardy. A reasonable quantity of story runs through it, but it isn't very believable.

On consideration, I'm surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.

Almost mediocre

[wiseguyro · 5/10 · 8 April 2010]

Andy Tennant's movies have been hit and miss. He directed Anna and the King and Hitch, but also Fool's Gold and this. He should have a better hand at choosing his scripts by now cause this one is a mess.

It's a hybrid of romantic comedy and action movie. It fails in both categories. The characters are one dimensional and under developed. If it weren't for Butler's natural charm I would've ended up hating his character, a drunken gambler who got thrown out of the police force. The action is cliché for the small amount of time it graces us with its presence, and most of the humor falls flat, maybe because you've already seen/heard the jokes before, from other, better movies.

For all their likability, both Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston seem to be on auto pilot. Gerard is his own charming persona and Aniston is, well, Rachel from Friends, though they exhibit some chemistry. Neither will benefit from starring in this movie. Side note: Christine Baranski is wasted in a role far beneath her talent.

That's not to say this is a bad movie. It has some fun moments, though familiar, and it will not seem a total waste of time. On the other hand it isn't a particularly good movie and you will forget about it as soon as it is over.

I waited weeks for this?

[kowgirl_tina-1 · 5/10 · 20 March 2010]

I was excited when I first saw the previews of this movie. I am a HUGE Gerard Butler fan and I don't believe he's ever done a movie with Ms Anniston. The concept was fair enough...a romantic comedy with a little suspense thrown in. I left the theater feeling..."that's it?" Sure there were a couple cute things here and there, maybe a little suspense, but definitely not enough to carry a movie! The pace was much too slow for me, although I'm sure the actors did what they could with the script they were given. I loved seeing Gerard in Law Abiding Citizen, but this was truly disappointing! I am a big movie fan, but I wouldn't recommend seeing this to any of my friends :(

A shabby patchwork quilt of other movies' ideas

[StarDragyn · 3/10 · 19 March 2010]

Just got back from the theater--walked in the door and turned on the computer--and am in agony! I was really excited about this movie and looking forward to seeing it ever since the previews came out. But, boy!, was I disappointed. All of the cute stuff (and pretty much the only cute stuff) was contained in those previews.

There is nothing original, and nothing funny enough or well-acted enough to make its unoriginality interesting. Jennifer Aniston did a decent job, given what she had to work with (though she does act like she does in most of her other movies). But the writing wasn't good, and the plot was weak and all over the place. Most everything you see, you've seen before--just done better somewhere else--and all of it combined into something very hodgepodge. It's like the storywriters just took a "pinch of this" and a "dash of that" from various comedies, romances, and action adventures, and tried to make a soup out of them.

The music was so bad I'm even giving it its own paragraph. I had no idea the music would make such a difference, normally I don't notice it's even there. Not so on this one! It was often agonizingly out of place, where you had to wonder what the score writers were thinking, or why they picked the song they did.

I left twice for the concession stand, and didn't even care to ask what had happened while I was gone. There were times I found that I was even having to remind myself to pay attention to the dialogue. As I don't go to the theater often, it's usually a treat to me, and most of the time I enjoy whatever I'm watching simply because it's relaxing and a chance to be out. But for once I was actually bored. It was about the quality of a TV show, but unfortunately lasted the length of a full movie.

The romantic/action with husband and wife fighting-yet-finding-they-might-still-love-each-other plot has been done before much better. "Mr and Mrs Smith" was GOOD. "Fool's Gold" was decent. "Bounty Hunter" was just downright poor. So disappointing!

There's real chemistry between Aniston and Butler

[garthlotel · 7/10 · 28 February 2018]

There are a lot of flaws in this movie - making light of domestic violence is a glaring one - but the genuine chemistry between the two leads kept me interested and caring about their outcome. Both Butler and Aniston have great screen presence and they make the most of their characters (a situation where both characters would not be likeable if these two actors hadn't played them, basically). But if you like these two, you will probably be able to enjoy the film.

A Misfire

[Apox66 · 4/10 · 17 March 2010]

Comedies are one of the luckiest genres in cinema. They can be wacky, ridiculous, absurd and totally unbelievable, and it won't matter as long as they make you laugh. Because of this loophole, comedies get away with almost anything as long as they keep the audience stocked up with belly laughs.

'The Bounty Hunter' commits the cardinal sin of comedies - it's completely ridiculous, at the same time as just not being funny. It's certainly ambitious; it weaves the story of Aniston & Butler together with a murder conspiracy, and a pretty big gambling debt collection. But ultimately I felt that it was trying desperately to keep you distracted from the fact that you're not laughing.

So, this comedy doesn't find the fabled comedy loophole - it's too absurd to take seriously, and not funny enough to get a free ride.

Criminal

[JohnDeSando · 22 March 2010]

If there's a bounty hunter to haul in "criminal" comedies, then The Bounty Hunter" should receive capital punishment for murdering the romantic comedy genre. So far this year When in Rome looks even better now by contrast, and, well, She's Out of My League looks even cute.

But this one is a killer. Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler) is the titular cop who tries to take his ex-wife Nicole Hurley (Jenifer Aniston) to jail because she's jumped bail. Everyone associated with this film except the talented Christine Baranski as Nicole's cabaret-singing, swinging mother should be locked up. I laughed not even once given that the film is paint by numbers plot about exes who still love each other and fight almost to the end to disprove that situation.

Aniston's only observable talent here is to display a well-tended body in tight short skirt (even though she plays a reporter, most of whom could not go the News Awards looking half as good), and Butler shows he still has his 300 abs, muscular arms, and seductive lisp. After those attributes, the stars are on their own with lines to blush over and set ups trite as could ever be conjured.

A bounty hunter is not a real cop, and The Bounty Hunter is not a real comedy. Both want to be much more than they are but will never be. "Book 'em, Danno!"

Nice comedy

[anmashinyan · 7/10 · 8 August 2019]

This movie is a really nice and basic movie to watch when you do not know what to watch. The script is simple. However, as Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are the ones who play the main characters, the movie was enjoyable. Their acting made the movie more fun and catchy. I guess that this movie would have sucked if not celebrities like Aniston and Butler portrayed the leading roles. They made the movie seem so appealing, as they have the talent to persuade the watcher that the movie may be more interesting then it is.

The Aniston & Butler Show

[MaxBorg89 · 4/10 · 16 July 2010]

It is a well known fact that American comedies generally suffer from lackluster scripts, usually employed as vehicles for rising or established stars. The Bounty Hunter is no exception, as its charm lies solely in the joint presence of Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston, rather than in the fact that Andy Tennant (Hitch) is directing. Of course, even two fine actors such as those in this film are no good if the material is beneath their talent.

The story goes like this: Butler is an ex-cop who currently works as a bounty hunter. One day, he is given the opportunity to bring in his ex-wife (Aniston), who is wanted by the police after jumping bail. As he tracks her down and embarks on a hellish journey to take her back home, the two find themselves in the middle of a murky murder case, not to mention a series of situations that put their hatred for each other to the test.

On paper, there's plenty of potential for a moderately entertaining action comedy: think Midnight Run with a rom-com twist. Unfortunately, the film is an uneven mess, jumping from cringe-worthy "romantic" moments to OTT action scenes, complete with clichéd hotel room/strip club bits that have been out of fashion for quite some time. The tonal inconsistencies are reflected in the acting, as well: supporting performances range from passably straight (Jeff Garlin) to borderline ridiculous (Christine Baranski), whereas the leading duo does generally fine when they're together, less so separately, with Aniston being clearly more at ease with the less physically demanding stuff, while the opposite is true for Butler.

In short, The Bounty Hunter is an inconsistent picture that doesn't have enough laughs for a comedy, nor the appropriate direction for an action flick. The best option would be to ignore it altogether.

Not great, but still very enjoyable

[drakula2005 · 7/10 · 20 March 2010]

I saw "The Bounty Hunter" today, with a few friends, and we all weren't disappointed.It was interesting too see Aniston and Butler under the same title and we were all curious, which is strange, because there wasn't a girl among us.Nonetheless we went in and we enjoyed it, more or less.As a fan of Gerard Butler i have to say he looks quite well and is portraying his character very good.The plot is predictable, but that's not that important, when it comes to this genre.

Jennifer Aniston was also good, it was interesting to see her, considering she is a big name in the rom-com genre.There were some new ideas as well as some fresh moments, but i won't ruin it for you.

I went in with no high expectations, as the only thing i was interested in was Gerry Butler.But in the end i was surprised and happy i saw it.And the chemistry Aniston/Butler worked out very interesting and convincing.

I think most of You will enjoy it as well, not the critics of course, but those movies aren't about critics, so don't listen to them.

My rate: ***1/2 out of *****

P.S.That's my real note, i have been forced to rate higher :)

How NOT to Make a Film

[mysteryfan04 · 2/10 · 19 December 2010]

Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are talented, likable comedians, but you can't really see them 'click' together on screen. The Bounty Hunter does nothing but emphasize that fact. It is an action comedy of sorts, involving two exes, drug dealing, a suicide-turned-murder, and other things. Does it sound interesting or clichéd? The answer turns out to be more of the latter than the former. Aniston and Butler are forced to work with a script that features blaring plot holes, unbelievably stupid characters, and an extremely contrived storyline. Predictability reigns supreme here due to the endless "romantic" scenes (notice the quotation marks) and bland dialogue. The fact that the two leads' chemistry is nonexistent doesn't help matters much either. Talented supporting actors are wasted on and with numerous unimaginative sight gags, a mismatched romantic pairing, and over-the-top characters. The result? One of the worst romantic comedies in years.

Don't believe the haters!

[sgtGiggsy · 8/10 · 1 September 2013]

I don't understand why reviewers hated so much this film. It's a typical romantic comedy, with a little action, and an okay investigation part. I don't say it's an exceptionally good mix of these things, but still a really enjoyable one. The plot isn't very original, generally it's a witty love story of two people who used to love each other very much, but now can't stand each other. Actually it has some similarities with the earlier Jennifer Aniston movie 'The Break-up' just it's much better. The jokes are funnier, the plot doesn't consist the drama which isn't needed in a romantic comedy, and the chemistry between Aniston and Butler is far-far better. I think some people may expected more from this movie than this actually is. If you look for an easy to enjoy comedy, and not the finest of the movie history, it's a good choice for you. If you like good, not chick-flick type romantic comedies, try it, and I promise you won't be disappointed.

By friend recommendation overthrew my expectation

[Achylles · 7/10 · 27 December 2011]

I hate imposing my opinion upon other people that have not watched a movie, but I really think about myself that this one is kind of refreshing and non-engaging. We see the famous actors Jennifer and Gerard whose acting is great and they both fit each other in either personal or a common way. What I mean is that both actors are good together and did their job. The plot is little predictable but spicy. It has combined 3 different genres itself that would seem inappropriate in a combination but actually they are completely relevant. I mean the Romance and Action genres that aren't said to be proper when involved together in a movie because few people have seen such movies. In fact, as I said, the plot is literally well made with spicy situations, the action was not complete and straining but because we know this movie is also comedy, all these facts negate the cons of the weaknesses of the action in the film. Moreover, I did not laugh much, despite the movie being comedy, but I did not feel any boredom though. The romance wasn't also redundant so that makes my opinion better, no, it was just diversity among the action comedy elements. In fact I noticed the interchange of genres which makes the movie more entertaining to watch. First you see some funny chases, then some acquiescence among the characters and a spicy development, twisting and unraveling itself, taking the interest of the spectator in.

Actually, a very good friend of mine recommended me this movie while we were talking about films and about what had I been watching in those times. I did not have any good expectations but when I watched it, I was pleasantly satisfied. The mixture of the 3 genres was made very well and I personally like it. If you're a fan of action movies please don't expect much because the action components were not many, despite the genre being first listed on it's IMDb wall, and the purpose of the film is not the action itself. If you're a kind of woman or guy liking romantic comedies you should expect more than you do because the movie ends up with romance and is not boring. If you like both the genres you will definitely like the movie. I personally think it has been given a low vote of the film itself and people had had very big expectations, so the liking about the movie among people depends on what have they had expected. If they have expected too much, as a lot did, they will rather find the movie bad, meanwhile the people like me, who expected little will find the movie rather good. This means it is more about of a personal opinion so I thrusted my professional one more.

Plot - Little predictable; very good mixture of 3 genres that aren't said to stick together properly but they literally do; few disadvantages and weaknesses in each genre; 7/10

Writing - simply fulfilled with subtle humor and refined chasing scenes. 9/10

Acting - Butler and Aniston do great job together and fit their characters perfectly. 10/10

Presentation - Funny and entertaining; worth watching; not time wasting though it completely relates on the viewer's expectations and preferences. 9/10

I Expected Much More From This Film

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 29 July 2010]

The gambler and former police officer Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler) owes money to dangerous bookmakers and works as bounty hunter. His ex-wife Nicole Hurley (Jennifer Aniston) is a reporter snooping the mysterious death of a man that was reported by the police as suicide. Meanwhile Nicole is accused of running over and assaulting a police officer and is summoned to a hearing in the court. However, she has a lead for her case and she misses the audience with the judge. Milo is assigned to track down and arrest Nicole; in return, he would receive an award of US 5,000.00. While hunting Kate, Milo stays close to his ex-wife and they both revive the good moments they had in their marriage. But Nicole is pursued by the criminal that she is investigating and Milo by the henchmen of the takers and they get into trouble.

I expected much more from "The Bounty Hunter" since I like the sexy Jennifer Aniston and the efficient Gerard Butler. However, the story recalls "Serving Sara" and is entertaining in a few moments but without the charm of the movie of 2002. The tanned Jennifer Aniston shows a magnificent shape in a sexy black dress that highlights her awesome legs. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Caçador de Recompensa" ("Bounty Hunter")

The trailer is the best part of this film.....pass

[IheartCali5882 · 3/10 · 22 July 2010]

Normally I enjoy Aniston in romantic comedies, but this is highly disappointing. The dialogue and the storyline read like something from a children's cartoon. It's far too elementary and simple-minded to be taken seriously, even on an un-serious comedy level.

Jennifer Aniston plays an investigative reporter who has skipped her court date one too many times and finally gets a bench warrant under her name for failing to appear before the judge. Conveniently her estranged husband (Gerard Butler), is a bounty hunter who somehow finds out that she's skipped bail so naturally he will be the one to retrieve her. If you think you know where this story is going to go, you're absolutely right. Nothing in the film comes as a surprise. In fact, I kept thinking it couldn't get anymore predictable or cliché'd but it did to no avail.

Did either of these two actually read the script? I'm not exaggerating when I say I could write a better story right this minute with absolutely no cred to my name as a screenwriter. For two such likable actors, this film is hard to swallow. Total lack of creativity, shallow characters, and the unforgivable faux pas of giving a measly reporter a New York apartment that looks like it jumped straight from the pages of Good Housekeeping. No way she could ever afford that on her salary. And this is just one of many, many missteps in this film to make it nearly two-hours of unbelievable, cheesy fluff.

Do yourself a favor and skip it. You can thank me later.

Better Than Average Romantic Comedy

[yjc-601-376195 · 16 March 2010]

The Bounty Hunter was better than I expected it to be. It was a chick flick-- but it was cute. It was definitely different and following the men&women chick flick style from The Blind Side. It actually had some action so it was also similar to Mr. and Mrs. Smith in some scenes which was refreshing, but it also had really CHEESY chick flick scenes especially with cheesy chick flick music. However, it's perfect for girls and a very nice film for a Friday night out with the girls or etc. Jennifer Aniston surprisingly was wonderful in my opinion in this film (as much depth as a screenplay allows in this type of film) while Gerard Butler was Gerard Butler. He wasn't as drop dead gorgeous as he was in The Ugly Truth, but good enough with hilarious moments. Definitely a romantic-comedy not to be missed for Jennifer Aniston or Gerard Butler fans. Amazing chemistry between these two.

A Throughly Enjoyable Rom-Com!

[namashi_1 · 7/10 · 21 April 2015]

'The Bounty Hunter', despite its clichés & minute flaws, is A Throughly Enjoyable Rom-Com! Its got the energy & the pace one expects from it & its lead-stars share some great on-screen chemistry.

'The Bounty Hunter' Synopsis: A bounty hunter learns that his next target is his ex-wife, a reporter working on a murder cover-up. Soon after their reunion, the always-at-odds duo find themselves on a run-for-their-lives adventure.

'The Bounty Hunter' is an entertaining fare. Sure, the clichés are foreseeable & there are some flaws here, especially in the film's tepid initial moments, but the pace gathers momentum & the fun quotient powers up. I wasn't bored here, in fact, I laughed at many parts.

Sarah Thorp's Screenplay is brisk, though it begins on a dull note. Andy Tennant's Direction is pretty decent. Cinematography is eye-filling. Editing is tight. Action-Sequences are average.

Performance-Wise: Jennifer Aniston & Gerard Butler are the life of 'The Bounty Hunter'. Both of the talented actors play their parts very well & share a great on-screen chemistry throughout. A Special Mention for the terrific Jason Sudeikis, who's truly funny in a supporting role.

On the whole, 'The Bounty Hunter' may not be amazing, but its good, breezy entertainment nevertheless.

like eating 2 minutes noodles... nothing extraordinary but not too bad either

[rohitgahlowt · 5/10 · 9 July 2010]

The bounty hunter 2010

A chick flick with nothing unique or special… one has seen such films countless times before and will continue to see them in future… the only thing I can say in its praise is that it's better than the story less chick flicks bollywood seems to be churning out nowadays… Gerard Butler is an ex cop bounty hunter whose ex wife is a hot shot reporter who is suspicious about an open and shut case… she starts to investigate a lead and hence doesn't turn up in court for her parking tickets' hearing… the court is sick of waiting for Ms. Jennifer and puts out a warrant for her arrest… a bounty hunter is employed to get her and he happens to be Mr. Butler… he arrests her without delay but now starts a sort of road movie with the 'killer' out to get Ms. Aniston… the bounty hunter turns saviour as the ex-couple sets out to find what the hell is happening… and in the process re-discover their love.

The film could have been funny and romantic and dramatic but it seems insipid… its like taking your girlfriend out and treating her to Maggi noodles… you expect so much but all you gets is something limp and soggy but not bad to taste…

Gerard was way better in The Ugly Truth. He's one action hero who is comfortable in chick flicks as well… he's not camera shy and hence very comfortable on screen in whatever he's doing… unlike Aniston who seems too heavily decked up and restrained and beautiful and pleasant looking… clearly she looks like she is acting … not natural at all… she should try and be like what she was in Friends and stop producing the strange films she does with herself in them and herself in every frame (Management 2008 – a very dull film that makes Indian chick flicks look classic and super funny in comparison)…

The one funny guy in the movie was Aniston's colleague who kissed her once and is under the impression that she is having an affair with her. If only he had more to do in this movie instead of just being a cut way from the lead couple…

I'm sure in a few days from now I might not remember any scene or character from this film

An Attempt at Different Romance Comedy Doesn't Quite Hit Mark

[tabuno · 6/10 · 18 January 2019]

21 March 2010. An effort at different, a few more fresh lines, a slightly different storyline with a moderate twist, but this romantic comedy can't quite hit the mark for some reason. This predictable, sometimes funny movie had a few more zany lines and antics that screamed to move this comedy to the top of its class and there was the delivery which seemed charming, but nevertheless, THE BOUNTY HUNTER never quite lit on fire. Christine Baranski still has screen presence. Jennifer Aniston has a decent performance. Neither Jennifer nor Gerard Butler doesn't quite get the script to really pull of a solid MR. AND MRS. SMITH (2005) romantic comedy that had both plenty of action as in integral part of the movie.

The Bounty Hunter - truly the epitome of an awful movie.

[ReneeEve · 1/10 · 19 March 2010]

Let's just say that every once in a while a truly horrible movie comes along to remind us all what good movies are. This is a monumental failure in casting, direction, plot (or lack thereof) and production. A couple - Jennifer-I-can't-act-Aniston and Gerard-stunned-mullet-Butler are separated. She's the one accidentally running from the law, he's meant to catch her. Can anyone say 'predictable' - Pulllleeeeassse. Throw in the bad guy - queue bad guy music - Peter Greene (bad dude stereotype think The Mask) and yawn through the laughingly called 'suspense' scenes.

The only good thing about this music was the soundtrack. Not the background stuff - nothing is more annoying than quirky music for comedic scenes and suspense music for suspense scenes. Why is it that directors/producers have the need to fill in quiet moments with mundane filler? This movie was in short an insult to a viewer's intelligence. What an absolute waste of money. It would have been better to donate money to charity, than to take an absolutely anorexic script off to Columbia to actually be made into a movie. The powers that be must have been on something to think this would ever be a success.

Better than I thought!

[girllovesmovies27 · 7/10 · 23 July 2011]

*May contain spoilers* Butler and Aniston appeared to have chemistry to me! I like how you see how their relationship doesn't work for the majority of the film and them slowly beginning to realize that maybe they were wrong to end it. Comedically, this film could have been funnier, BUT Aniston's character did provide a great balance to Butler's. My favorite scene is actually when Butler kisses the receptionist outside after getting his ex-wife's warrant/bond and the receptionist asks for her gum back! So hilarious! Butler is a comedy man for sure- I'd like to see him in more comedies like this one. I adore Aniston, but I think Butler outshone her. As for the actress that plays Aniston's mother, WOW! She is hilarious! I do not buy such a mother-daughter relationship exists, but it made for excellent comedy. Lastly, I appreciate the action, even if it's not a real action film. It felt like a detective-type of film, although I know it's not really that. It was nice to see different settings.

Honestly, come on...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 21 June 2010]

Well, I had expected more of a movie with a cast of this caliber.

It seemed like a toned down version of "Mr and Mrs Smith", except for lacking the comedy and in-you-face presence. Sure, the story in "The Bounty Hunter" was alright, it had enough action scenes and enough romance in it to keep most pleased, but it seriously lacked comedy. I, for one, had expected more laughs out of the movie.

Anyway, the cast and their performances were top notch. Good to see Butler in a role like this, to show his diversity as an actor.

Halfway through the movie I started to do other stuff while the movie kept on playing, it became that uninteresting actually.

But I am sure for fans of Butler and Aniston, then this movie is a must see. Personally, I didn't find it all that interesting though. For me, there are better and more compelling movies out there at the moment.

Sadly, I have to rate this movie as a flat 5 out of 10.

better than the reviews say

[gottaste · 8/10 · 18 April 2010]

I really don't understand the harsh reviews here. Many are just not credible when they're overstating their dislike of the movie. What did they want? nudity, swearing, bathroom jokes? Jeez, not enough of that in Hollywood! This movie was exactly what I was expecting, so I liked it. This is not a Jim Carey movie so don't expect a silly, slapstick film. The script here is better than many movies I've seen lately that did better at the box office, so the only thing I can assume is that people went in with an expectation of a different type of film. If you don't go in with expectations of big laughs, but rather a nice movie about an ex in trouble and her slightly vindictive ex-husband taking pleasure in hauling her back for cash, you'll like this movie. That is, unless your more into just thinking what critics tell you to think. I'd like to see Butler do more of these movies.

Light entertainment.

[rudicantfail · 7/10 · 10 July 2021]

Not sure why the ratings for this movie are so low, it was a nice entertaining easy to follow movie. You do not have to think too hard about the plot, and it flows quite well, and is mildly amusing. Kind of along the lines of "Midnight run" or "48 hours", it was a nice film to watch.

This 'Bounty Hunter' is a real dog

[gregeichelberger · 3/10 · 19 March 2010]

Remember when Hollywood couples who were actually together in real life made decent films (i.e. Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn, Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis - whoops, omit that last one)?

Now we get couples who are together for a few months but manage to get a movie in, most of which last longer than the relationship (i.e. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Gardner, Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, etc., etc., etc.).

And currently, we get Jennifer Aniston with her latest, Gerard Butler ("Phantom of the Opera," "Nim's Island," "300"), in what is basically nothing more than a remake of a bad episode (okay, EVERY episode) of "Dog, The Bounty Hunter" mixed with "Mr. and Mrs. Smith (starring another real-life couple) and "Midnight Run," the classic comedy from 1988 with Charles Grodin and Robert DeNiro.

If this film were a) slightly interesting, b) somewhat novel and/or c) remotely funny, then I might have enjoyed it - a tad. Since it did not fulfill even one of the above specifications, however, I have to trudge into my office and write yet another negative review for a Jennifer Aniston picture - it isn't something I necessarily enjoy, either.

And, if these two are really romantically linked, then judging by their chemistry on screen, I'd get into counseling posthaste.

Here, Aniston plays reporter Nicole Hurley (not for one second did I believe she came anywhere NEAR that profession, by the way), who is working a story about murder, crooked cops and stolen drugs. She fails to appear in court as ordered. She's arrested for assault on a New York City police officer, but skips bail, causing a plot convenience device the size of the planet Pluto to be put into action.

That device is having her down-on-his-luck ex husband (a former cop, now a bounty hunter, hence the title), Milo Boyd (Butler), go after her. He tracks her down and while on his way to deliver her (he's a gambler, so he takes the scenic route back to NYC, through Atlantic City), goons try to kill both of them.

Now on the lam, the couple bickers, fights, argues and comes as close to sexual tension as Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt might have at one time in history.

They escape, but both are marked by various hoods for death. This frightful prospect does not keep the two from engaging in silly sexual high-jinx and stilted wordplay that would embarrass a 14-year-old on his first date. Every situation in this movie has been tried (and usually fallen flat) dozens of times.

I always try to find a few good things to say about any production (only because I know a little bit about the blood, sweat and tears it takes to bring something - ANYTHING - to the screen) and, except for a few minor characters who appear and then quickly exit, there is absolutely nothing noteworthy about "The Bounty Hunter."

I even tried to give some kudos to director Andy Tennant, who was responsible for the quirky "Ever After" and the semi-sweet "Hitch." But, then again, I realized he also directed "Sweet Home Alabama," "Fool's Gold" and now this. I therefore can no longer come up with anything positive to write about Mr. Tennant.

Plus, if 2009 set the lofty standard as the single worst year for comedies in motion picture history, then 2010, already featuring "Our Family Wedding," "Cop Out" and this bowl of slop, may just - as unbelievable as it may seem - lower that bar even further. This wasn't a movie where the trailer exhibited ALL of the good lines, this was a film where the trailer itself exhibited NO good lines.

The only reason I even saw this turkey was because I HAD to. Those readers who have NO such obligation, please - for the love of all that is holy - avoid this like the plague, or at least like "Love Happens."