Review of One for the Money (2012) by Panta O — 23 Mar 2012

This latest romantic comedy (which is more of a thriller that comedy) based on the novel of the same name by Janet Evanovich could be one of the worst adaptations of a successful book. Directed by Julie Anne Robinson, the screenplay was terribly written by Liz Brixius, Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith. Doesn't matter how much I enjoy watching Katherine Heigl it is something I would not recommend. I saw some of the ratings going up to 90% from the fellow RT reviewers and I am really surprised. All I saw is the main character wandering from one lead and suspect to the next, each one duller than the last. If you want that "déjà vu" feel, movie is full with cliché settings (a boxing gym, an Italian pork store) and cliché lines (You're out of your league!,''How's that workin' for ya?'').

In the movie, Stephanie Plum (Katherine Heigl) is out of work and out of cash and in desperation turns to her disreputable cousin Vinnie, of Vinnie's Bail Bonds, for work. Of course, like in a movie, despite having no equipment, training or particular skill she becomes a bail enforcement agent, chasing after Vinnie's highest stakes bail jumper: Joe Morelli, a former vice cop who is wanted for murder, who also happened to seduce and dump Stephanie back in high school. Now, I can see the appeal of the story for the audience which left the high school and did most of the waitressing jobs for the last 5-6 years without having a boyfriend and blaming the high-school sweetheart for ruining the "good life", but if you're not in that category, please, skip this one!

One For the Money was the first novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum and it is a long-time best-seller, appearing for 75 consecutive weeks on the USA Today list of 150 best-selling novels, peaking at number 59... and this movie is nothing like it! Katherine Heigl is so talented and I am saddened that she decided to waste that huge potential on a movie which will have you groaning between yawns.