Review of One for the Money (2012) by Robert H — 29 Jun 2012

Oh wow. Someone's been Mary-Sue-ing...

Unemployed woman decides to take up the opportunity to become a bounty hunter. Her first big assignment, which everyone tells her she should not take, is to chase down a high school ex whom she has a grudge against, and who is accused of murder.

This film never has the slightest hint of reality about it. The humour feels forced (and occasionally disturbing - as when said ex breaks into her flat, tears down her shower curtain while she is in the shower, handcuffs her naked to the curtain pole, and then, after some dialogue, has a bit of a laugh tearing a towel away... I suppose it's funny and romantic if you like your humour a bit rape-y...).

Totally inept at bounty hunting, repeatedly finding the guy she's meant to chase but unable to turn him in because he refuses to just come along when she asks, our heroine starts getting involved in the murder case against him, and doing a bit of detecting on the side. Which gives her a chance to chew her way through detective-y dialogue at a police officer.

This film feels like the "Legally Blonde" of bounty hunter detective movies. Except, in this movie there is nothing at all our main character is actually any good at, except thinking highly of herself and talking (occasionally) the talk. But it's not Inspector Clouseau territory - we're not meant to laugh at her, and the fact that she needs to be rescued every five minutes while doing the job she chose is baffling.

So, the moral of the story: modern women are confident while naked, flirtatious, can talk the talk and occasionally have the last word (by being tricksy and two faced when they can), but really, they have to be rescued every five minutes, enjoy being sexually harrassed / put in vulnerable, near-rape situations, and are completely inept. But at least they look pretty and are decorative with their smiles and flirtatious ways.

Ahem. Let's just say it's not exactly a masterpiece, and it reeks heavily of Mary Sue literature.