The Bounty Hunter (2010 film)
Encyclopedia
The Bounty Hunter is a 2010 American action comedy film directed by Andy Tennant
, starring Jennifer Aniston
and Gerard Butler
. The story centers on a bounty hunter
(Butler) hired to retrieve his ex-wife (Aniston) who has skipped bail. The film was released in the United Kingdom
and United States on March 19, 2010.
) is a former NYPD detective who now works as a down-on-his-luck bail enforcement agent (bounty hunter
). For instance, he accidentally causes a fire while apprehending his latest bounty through a Fourth of July parade, and is arrested as well.
Milo's ex-wife, Nicole Hurley (Jennifer Aniston
), is an investigative reporter who has been arrested for assault
ing a police officer (As she later clarifies, she grazed a patrol horse with her car in her rush to get to a press conference). When she receives a hot tip on a story she is working on — an apparent suicide
may actually have been a murder
-- she skips her bond hearing
to meet with her informant, causing the judge to revoke her bail
and issue a warrant for her arrest. Unfortunately, just before Nicole arrives, her informant, Jimmy (Adam Rose), is kidnapped.
Milo is ecstatic when Nicole's bail bondsman
, Sid (Jeff Garlin
), offers him the job of tracking down Nicole and bringing her to jail, for a bounty of $5,000. After questioning Nicole's mother Kitty (Christine Baranski
) (a cabaret singer in Atlantic City), and with his own intimate knowledge of Nicole's habits, Milo apprehends her at a race track in New Jersey
, throws her into his car trunk and drives back towards Manhattan
. Nicole tries to beg, threaten, or con her way out of Milo's clutches, but only manages to escape briefly before he catches up with her again.
Neither is aware that they are being stalked: Milo by two thugs sent by a bookie named Irene (Cathy Moriarty
), because of outstanding gambling debts; Nicole by criminal Earl Mahler (Peter Greene
), who is connected with the story she is investigating, and both of them by Nicole's lovestruck coworker Stuart (Jason Sudeikis
), bent on "rescuing" her.
Mahler catches up and tries to kill Nicole, but the two narrowly escape. Milo is not interested in explanations until Nicole admits that she's found evidence that implicates their mutual friend, Bobby (Dorian Missick
), Milo's ex-partner on the police force. Angry, Milo decides to investigate the crime with her.
Clues from Earl's car lead them to a country club, where they learn from a crooked caddy
that Earl owns a tattoo parlor in New Jersey, so they start to make their way there. Bobby warns the pair to stay off the road.
By coincidence, the nearest hotel is "Cupid's Cabin," the bed and breakfast
where they spent their honeymoon
. They have feelings for each other, but Nicole overhears a phone conversation, Milo telling Sid that he may or may not sleep with Nicole that night, but he's taking her to jail nevertheless. Infuriated, she handcuffs Milo to the bed and makes her way to the tattoo parlor herself, finding Jimmy and freeing him before she is captured by Irene's thugs, still looking for Milo.
Milo rescues her. He calls an old friend from the police force and learns that Bobby is on his way to the police's evidence warehouse, which is being relocated to a new building. Bobby confronts Earl, who used to be his friend but has used Bobby's name to gain access to the warehouse and steal a large amount of confiscated narcotics and cash. Bobby decides to arrest Earl, but Earl draws a gun and shoots him, though not fatally. Milo and Nicole enter the warehouse and Milo is ambushed, but Earl is forced to surrender when Nicole points a shotgun at him.
Bobby explains that Earl was using him, as well as the man who supposedly committed suicide, to gain access to the warehouse. There was no proof, so Bobby was waiting for Earl to make his move before arresting him. Milo proudly notes that Earl might have gotten away with it if Nicole hadn't picked up certain clues. He and Nicole appear to have reconciled. They concede that sometimes their jobs have to come first. By way of demonstrating this, Milo then turns Nicole into the police, so she can make her court hearing the next day.
On his way out of the precinct, Milo runs into a cop who insulted him earlier and punches him in the face. He is arrested and put in a cell next to Nicole's. He reminds her that it is their anniversary
and they have to spend it together, no matter what. Through the bars they admit their love to each other and kiss.
reports that 7% of critics have given the film a positive review, based on 126 reviews. The consensus given is "Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston remain as attractive as ever, but The Bounty Hunters formula script doesn't know what to do with them – or the audience's attention." It also holds a "generally unfavorable" score of 22 out of 100 at Metacritic
.
Roger Ebert
gave the film a star and a half out of four, commenting that "neither [Aniston nor Butler] is allowed to speak more than efficient sentences to advance the plot" and that it is rife with "exhausted action clichés."
Kerry Lengel of The Arizona Republic
gave the film three and a half stars out of five: "As formula films go, The Bounty Hunter is more enjoyable than most, even if it packs in as many clichés as any." She also praises Aniston's and Butler's performances, but is critical of the "improbable" plot.
The film was nominated for four Razzie Awards in 2011, including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Gerard Butler), Worst Actress (Jennifer Aniston) and Worst Screen Couple (Aniston and Butler). However it failed to "win" any of those categories.
and Diary of a Wimpy Kid
. It grossed $20.7 million in its opening weekend. As of July 5, 2010 it has grossed $67,061,228 domestically and $69,031,265 internationally for a worldwide total of $136,310,306.
and Blu-ray on July 13, 2010. The only extra material is 3 featurettes ("Making The Bounty Hunter", "Rules for Outwitting a Bounty Hunter", "Stops Along The Road: Hunting Locations"). It has grossed $20,046,988 in US DVD sales.
Andy Tennant
Andy Tennant is an American screenwriter, film and television director, and dancer.-Life and career:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Tennant was raised in Flossmoor, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. His father was Don Tennant, a legendary creative advertising talent with Leo Burnett Agency in Chicago...
, starring Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress, film director, and producer, best known for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Aniston has also enjoyed a successful film career,...
and Gerard Butler
Gerard Butler
Gerard James Butler is a Scottish actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television. A trained lawyer, Butler turned to acting in the mid-1990s with small roles in productions such as the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies , which he followed with steady work on television, most notably in...
. The story centers on a bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
(Butler) hired to retrieve his ex-wife (Aniston) who has skipped bail. The film was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and United States on March 19, 2010.
Plot
Milo Boyd (Gerard ButlerGerard Butler
Gerard James Butler is a Scottish actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television. A trained lawyer, Butler turned to acting in the mid-1990s with small roles in productions such as the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies , which he followed with steady work on television, most notably in...
) is a former NYPD detective who now works as a down-on-his-luck bail enforcement agent (bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
). For instance, he accidentally causes a fire while apprehending his latest bounty through a Fourth of July parade, and is arrested as well.
Milo's ex-wife, Nicole Hurley (Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress, film director, and producer, best known for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Aniston has also enjoyed a successful film career,...
), is an investigative reporter who has been arrested for assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
ing a police officer (As she later clarifies, she grazed a patrol horse with her car in her rush to get to a press conference). When she receives a hot tip on a story she is working on — an apparent suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
may actually have been a murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
-- she skips her bond hearing
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
to meet with her informant, causing the judge to revoke her bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
and issue a warrant for her arrest. Unfortunately, just before Nicole arrives, her informant, Jimmy (Adam Rose), is kidnapped.
Milo is ecstatic when Nicole's bail bondsman
Bail bondsman
A bail bond agent, or bondsman, is any person or corporation that will act as a surety and pledge money or property as bail for the appearance of persons accused in court...
, Sid (Jeff Garlin
Jeff Garlin
Jeffrey "Jeff" Garlin is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, voice artist, director, writer and author, best known for his role as Jeff Greene on the HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm...
), offers him the job of tracking down Nicole and bringing her to jail, for a bounty of $5,000. After questioning Nicole's mother Kitty (Christine Baranski
Christine Baranski
Christine Jane Baranski is an American stage and screen actress, and is perhaps best known for her Emmy Award winning portrayal as "Maryanne Thorpe" in the sitcom Cybill, and her Emmy nominated portrayal of "Diane Lockhart" in The Good Wife...
) (a cabaret singer in Atlantic City), and with his own intimate knowledge of Nicole's habits, Milo apprehends her at a race track in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, throws her into his car trunk and drives back towards Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Nicole tries to beg, threaten, or con her way out of Milo's clutches, but only manages to escape briefly before he catches up with her again.
Neither is aware that they are being stalked: Milo by two thugs sent by a bookie named Irene (Cathy Moriarty
Cathy Moriarty
-Career:Her first film credit was Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull in 1980, as Vikki LaMotta, the wife of Robert De Niro's lead character. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared opposite Andrew Dice Clay in the short-lived CBS...
), because of outstanding gambling debts; Nicole by criminal Earl Mahler (Peter Greene
Peter Greene
Peter Greene is an American character actor.A native of Montclair, New Jersey, Greene did not pursue a career in acting until his mid 20s...
), who is connected with the story she is investigating, and both of them by Nicole's lovestruck coworker Stuart (Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis
Daniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
), bent on "rescuing" her.
Mahler catches up and tries to kill Nicole, but the two narrowly escape. Milo is not interested in explanations until Nicole admits that she's found evidence that implicates their mutual friend, Bobby (Dorian Missick
Dorian Missick
Dorian Missick is an American actor, best known for his roles as Damian in Six Degrees and Victor Vance in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Missick was born in East Orange, NJ, but grew up mainly in Plainfield, NJ, and Decatur, Georgia...
), Milo's ex-partner on the police force. Angry, Milo decides to investigate the crime with her.
Clues from Earl's car lead them to a country club, where they learn from a crooked caddy
Caddy
In golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
that Earl owns a tattoo parlor in New Jersey, so they start to make their way there. Bobby warns the pair to stay off the road.
By coincidence, the nearest hotel is "Cupid's Cabin," the bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
where they spent their honeymoon
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
. They have feelings for each other, but Nicole overhears a phone conversation, Milo telling Sid that he may or may not sleep with Nicole that night, but he's taking her to jail nevertheless. Infuriated, she handcuffs Milo to the bed and makes her way to the tattoo parlor herself, finding Jimmy and freeing him before she is captured by Irene's thugs, still looking for Milo.
Milo rescues her. He calls an old friend from the police force and learns that Bobby is on his way to the police's evidence warehouse, which is being relocated to a new building. Bobby confronts Earl, who used to be his friend but has used Bobby's name to gain access to the warehouse and steal a large amount of confiscated narcotics and cash. Bobby decides to arrest Earl, but Earl draws a gun and shoots him, though not fatally. Milo and Nicole enter the warehouse and Milo is ambushed, but Earl is forced to surrender when Nicole points a shotgun at him.
Bobby explains that Earl was using him, as well as the man who supposedly committed suicide, to gain access to the warehouse. There was no proof, so Bobby was waiting for Earl to make his move before arresting him. Milo proudly notes that Earl might have gotten away with it if Nicole hadn't picked up certain clues. He and Nicole appear to have reconciled. They concede that sometimes their jobs have to come first. By way of demonstrating this, Milo then turns Nicole into the police, so she can make her court hearing the next day.
On his way out of the precinct, Milo runs into a cop who insulted him earlier and punches him in the face. He is arrested and put in a cell next to Nicole's. He reminds her that it is their anniversary
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
and they have to spend it together, no matter what. Through the bars they admit their love to each other and kiss.
Cast
- Jennifer AnistonJennifer AnistonJennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress, film director, and producer, best known for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Aniston has also enjoyed a successful film career,...
as Nicole Hurley (previously Boyd), a Daily News reporter. - Gerard ButlerGerard ButlerGerard James Butler is a Scottish actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television. A trained lawyer, Butler turned to acting in the mid-1990s with small roles in productions such as the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies , which he followed with steady work on television, most notably in...
as Milo Boyd, a bounty hunter and former police officer. - Christine BaranskiChristine BaranskiChristine Jane Baranski is an American stage and screen actress, and is perhaps best known for her Emmy Award winning portrayal as "Maryanne Thorpe" in the sitcom Cybill, and her Emmy nominated portrayal of "Diane Lockhart" in The Good Wife...
as Kitty Hurley, Nicole's caring, wise, but somewhat perverted mother. - Jason SudeikisJason SudeikisDaniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
as Stewart, Nicole's co-worker who has unrequited feelings for her. - Jeff GarlinJeff GarlinJeffrey "Jeff" Garlin is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, voice artist, director, writer and author, best known for his role as Jeff Greene on the HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm...
as Sid, Milo's friend and semi-employer. - Peter GreenePeter GreenePeter Greene is an American character actor.A native of Montclair, New Jersey, Greene did not pursue a career in acting until his mid 20s...
as Earl Mahler, a tattoo shop owner. - Dorian MissickDorian MissickDorian Missick is an American actor, best known for his roles as Damian in Six Degrees and Victor Vance in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Missick was born in East Orange, NJ, but grew up mainly in Plainfield, NJ, and Decatur, Georgia...
as Bobby Jenkins, a police detective who is a friend of Milo and Nicole. - Cathy MoriartyCathy Moriarty-Career:Her first film credit was Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull in 1980, as Vikki LaMotta, the wife of Robert De Niro's lead character. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared opposite Andrew Dice Clay in the short-lived CBS...
as Irene, a gift shop owner. - Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Teresa, Milo and Sid's friend and semi-employer.
- Ritchie CosterRitchie CosterRitchie Coster is an English film, television and theatre actor. Coster was born in London, England and attended The Latymer School, Edmonton...
as Ray, one of Irene's minions. - Matt MalloyMatt MalloyMatt Malloy is an American character actor. He has had numerous roles in both film and TV often portraying the beleaguered everyman. Malloy's only starring role to date was alongside Aaron Eckhart in the critically acclaimed black comedy, In the Company of Men...
as Gary, a co-worker of Nicole's. - Adam LeFevreAdam LeFevreAdam LeFevre is an American character actor, poet and playwright who works in cinema, television, theater and commercials....
as Edmund, a co-owner of a bed and breakfast - Carol KaneCarol KaneCarolyn Laurie "Carol" Kane is an American actress. Kane has worked on the stage, on the screen and in television. She appeared on the television series Taxi in the early 1980s, as the wife of the character played by Andy Kaufman. She received two Emmy Awards for her work...
as Dawn, a co-owner of a bed and breakfast - Natalie GalNatalie GalNatalia Ivanovna Galkina is a Russian-born American fashion model and actress, who made her television debut as runner-up on the eighth series of America's Next Top Model.-Early life:...
as Wife (uncredited)
Critical reception
The film has received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics. The film review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reports that 7% of critics have given the film a positive review, based on 126 reviews. The consensus given is "Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston remain as attractive as ever, but The Bounty Hunters formula script doesn't know what to do with them – or the audience's attention." It also holds a "generally unfavorable" score of 22 out of 100 at Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film a star and a half out of four, commenting that "neither [Aniston nor Butler] is allowed to speak more than efficient sentences to advance the plot" and that it is rife with "exhausted action clichés."
Kerry Lengel of The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic is a daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. It was ranked tenth in US daily newspapers by circulation in 2007.-Early years:The newspaper was founded...
gave the film three and a half stars out of five: "As formula films go, The Bounty Hunter is more enjoyable than most, even if it packs in as many clichés as any." She also praises Aniston's and Butler's performances, but is critical of the "improbable" plot.
The film was nominated for four Razzie Awards in 2011, including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Gerard Butler), Worst Actress (Jennifer Aniston) and Worst Screen Couple (Aniston and Butler). However it failed to "win" any of those categories.
Box office
The Bounty Hunter opened at number three, behind Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland (2010 film)
Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 American computer-animated/live action fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton, written by Linda Woolverton, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
and Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (film)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a 2010 American comedy film directed by Thor Freudenthal and based on Jeff Kinney's book of the same name. The film was released on March 19, 2010. It was released on DVD, iTunes, and Blu-ray on August 3, 2010.-Plot:...
. It grossed $20.7 million in its opening weekend. As of July 5, 2010 it has grossed $67,061,228 domestically and $69,031,265 internationally for a worldwide total of $136,310,306.
Home media
The Bounty Hunter was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray on July 13, 2010. The only extra material is 3 featurettes ("Making The Bounty Hunter", "Rules for Outwitting a Bounty Hunter", "Stops Along The Road: Hunting Locations"). It has grossed $20,046,988 in US DVD sales.