Director: Luis Mandoki
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Jim Caviezel, Sonia Braga, Victor Argo, Terrence Howard, Shirley Knight
Running Time: 102 minutes
Synopsis: In Chicago, police officer Sharon Pogue (Jennifer Lopez) attends the scene of a fatal car crash and helps a man trapped in his vehicle. One year later, Sharon is estranged from her family because she had her abusive father arrested. After a drive-by shooting, Sharon is assisted by mysterious stranger Catch (Jim Caviezel), who wanders the streets in a trance-like state. Sharon and Catch start a relationship, although he does not reveal anything about himself. After an evening at a jazz club, Sharon starts to understand the tragic truth about her new lover, while struggling to reconcile with her parents.
What Works Well: This romantic drama deserves credit for taking risks, mixing street-level policing with an intense relationship. Catch is dealing with trauma, Sharon repeatedly fails at traditional dating, and there is logic in the attraction that develops between them. The fraught relationship with her parents (Victor Argo as the boorish dad and Sonia Braga as the long-suffering mom) and the downstream impacts on her brother's family add texture. Jennifer Lopez carries the central role with tender toughness, and Shirley Knight makes a welcome appearance as the one anchor in Catch's orbit.
What Does Not Work As Well: After a vigorous opening act, the middle third notably sags into sappiness, director Luis Mandoki understandably struggling to transition from high-stakes policing to the slower pace of a complicated romance. Jim Caviezel is trapped into one trance-like mode portraying a traumatized and incommunicative lover.
Key Quote:
Sharon (to Catch): You never said a word about yourself the other night, who are you?
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