Catch and Release (2006/II)

Director:

Susannah Grant

Writer (WGA):

Susannah Grant (written by)

Release Date:

26 January 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Life is messy...love is messier.

Plot:

A woman struggles to accept the death of her fiancé and the secrets he kept from her as she rebuilds her life.

Plot Keywords:

Secret | Friend | Beach | Wedding | Inheritance

Cast

Jennifer Garner	...	Gray
Timothy Olyphant	...	Fritz
Sam Jaeger	...	Dennis
Kevin Smith	...	Sam
Juliette Lewis	...	Maureen
Joshua Friesen	...	Mattie
Fiona Shaw	...	Mrs. Douglas
Tina Lifford	...	Eve
Georgia Craig	...	Persephone
Christopher Redman	...	Flower Delivery Guy
Joyce Krenz	...	Housekeeper
Sonja Bennett	...	Caterer
Yorgo Constantine	...	Co-Worker
Dan Parker	...	Deadhead Singer
Nancy Hower	...	Deadhead Singer
Jennifer Spence	...	Comforting Friend
Kyla Wise	...	Comforting Friend (as Kyla Anderson)
Leanna Nash	...	Comforting Friend
Wendy Noel	...	Comforting Friend
Leslie McMichael	...	Jogstroller (as Leslie McMichaels)
Michael Adamthwaite	...	Cowboy
John B. Destry	...	Paint Salesman
Nancy Wetzel	...	Cyclist
Dillard Brinson	...	Michael Soltman
Sacha Levin	...	Drummer
Terence Kelly	...	Mr. Wheeler
Gabrielle Rose	...	Mrs. Wheeler
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Darren Daurie	...	Ambulance Attendent (uncredited)
Marcus Hondro	...	Principal (uncredited)

Directed by
Susannah Grant

Writing credits (WGA)
Susannah Grant		(written by)

Produced by
Casey Grant	....	executive producer (as B. Casey Grant)
Ryan Kavanaugh	....	executive producer
Josh Siegel	....	associate producer (as Joshua Siegel)
Lynwood Spinks	....	executive producer
Jenno Topping	....	producer

Original Music by
BT
Tommy Stinson

Cinematography by
John Lindley		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Anne V. Coates

Casting by
Deborah Aquila
Jennifer L. Smith		(as Jennifer Smith)
Tricia Wood

Production Design by
Brent Thomas

Art Direction by
Shannon Grover

Set Decoration by
Lesley Beale
Brian Kane		(uncredited)
Josh Skye		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Tish Monaghan

Makeup Department
Deborah La Mia Denaver	....	makeup artist: Ms. Garner (as Deborah LaMia Denaver)
Michael Reitz	....	hair stylist: Ms. Garner
Forest Sala	....	key hair stylist
Janet Sala	....	assistant hair stylist (as Janet A. Sala)
Margaret Solomon	....	assistant makeup artist
Angela Wood	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Greg Babcock	....	unit production manager: Colorado
Yvonne Melville	....	unit production manager
Yvonne Yaconelli	....	production supervisor: additional photography (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shelley Kreutz	....	dgc trainee
Karen Margolese	....	second assistant director
Richard Oswald	....	second assistant director: Colorado
Lori K. Peterson	....	third assistant director
David Sardi	....	first assistant director
Christian Clarke	....	second second assistant director: Colorado (uncredited)
Angie Nolan	....	additional assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Tara Arnett	....	graphics
Derek Bobroff	....	standby painter
Steve Craine	....	paint coordinator
Jim Easton	....	illustrator
Haida Harper	....	assistant props
Erich Hepnar	....	head greens
Bryan Korenberg	....	property master
Derick McLeod	....	construction coordinator
Bryan Pederson	....	construction foreman
Macleod Sinclaire	....	on-set dresser
David Tait	....	standby carpenter
Andy Thornton	....	construction foreman
Faye Thorp	....	assistant set decorator
Ann Marie Auricchio	....	painter (uncredited)
Robin Bartlett-Asnicar	....	assistant props (uncredited)
Peter Christian Combe	....	scenic painter (uncredited)
Laurie Edmundson	....	lead set dresser (uncredited)
Laura Evans	....	set decorations buyer: additional photography (uncredited)
Andrew Glavina	....	signwriter (uncredited)
Paul Jenkinson	....	lead set dresser (uncredited)
Savanna Johnson	....	art department production assistant (uncredited)
John B. Keys	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Dylan Kiszlowski	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Ray Lai	....	graphic artist: backdrops (uncredited)
Andrew Li	....	set designer (uncredited)
Peter Lieshout	....	painter (uncredited)
Audra Neil	....	set buyer (uncredited)
Dan Petrescu	....	lead painter (uncredited)
Chris Rae	....	lead carpenter (uncredited)
Jim Ramsay	....	set designer (uncredited)
Guy Roland	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Ben Rusi	....	leadman (uncredited)
David Schulte	....	construction foreman: Colorado (uncredited)
Sean Will	....	lead painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Arnold	....	dialogue editor
Michael J. Benavente	....	supervising sound editor
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	supervising sound mixer (as Gary Bourgeois)
Sarah Bourgeois	....	assistant sound editor
Teri E. Dorman	....	dialogue editor
Anthony J. Giacinti	....	boom operator (as Tony Giacinti)
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley artist
Todd Harris	....	assistant sound editor (as Todd M. Harris)
Suhail Kafity	....	sound effects editor (as Suhail F. Kafity)
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist (as Pamela Nedd Kahn)
Howard London	....	adr mixer
David McGuire	....	assistant sound editor
Howard Neiman	....	foley supervisor
Greg Orloff	....	supervising sound mixer
Mark Pappas	....	foley editor
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
Larry Sutton	....	sound mixer
Greg ten Bosch	....	sound effects editor
Thomas Giordano	....	boom operator: re-shoots, Los Angeles (uncredited)
Carmen Verin	....	sound assistant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William H. Orr	....	special effects coordinator
John Wilkinson	....	special effects technician (as John A. Wilkinson)
Teresa Wilkinson	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Scott Gregory	....	digital colorist
Gregory L. McMurry	....	visual effects supervisor
Andrew Cochrane	....	motion tracking (uncredited)
Don Lee	....	visual effects supervisor: Pixel Playground Inc. (uncredited)
Kim Lee	....	visual effects producer: Pixel Playground (uncredited)
Rob Menapace	....	motion control operator (uncredited)
Mark Robben	....	digital compositor: Pixel Playground (uncredited)
John Scheer	....	digital intermediate editor (uncredited)
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration (uncredited)
Everette Webber	....	digital intermediate editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Trevor Addie	....	stunts
Shauna Duggins	....	stunts
Kylie Furneaux	....	stunts
Chris Sayour	....	stunts
Marshall Virtue	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Rob Brady	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Dillard Brinson	....	key grip
Henry Cline	....	camera operator
Douglas Curran	....	still photographer
Drew Davidson	....	chief lighting technician (as Andrew Davidson)
Shane Dobie	....	assistant chief lighting technician
David Emmerichs	....	camera operator: "b" camera, Colorado
David Emmerichs	....	steadicam: Colorado
Gil Forrester	....	dolly grip
Ian R.C. Levine	....	camera loader (as Ian Levine)
David Lourie	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Richard Masino	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, Colorado
Kevin McCloy	....	key rigging grip
Rob Parisien	....	video assist
Rick Stadder	....	second grip
Stewart Whelan	....	first assistant camera (as Stewart A. Whelan)
Keith Woods	....	rigging gaffer (as Keith S. Woods)
Harry Zimmerman	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, Colorado
Keith Banks	....	electrician (uncredited)
Spencer Blessman	....	electrician (uncredited)
Andrew Deiters	....	remote head technician (uncredited)
Kelly Diehl	....	libra head technician (uncredited)
Sacha Fassaert	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)
David Goyer	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Andy Guichon	....	rigging best boy (uncredited)
James S. Harvey	....	rigging electric (uncredited)
Karl Herrmann	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Patrick Hogue	....	film loader (uncredited)
Junichi Hosoi	....	steadicam operator (uncredited)
Timo Juonolainen	....	grip (uncredited)
Lawrence Karman	....	steadicam operator (uncredited)
Steve Koster	....	camera operator: Spacecam (uncredited)
Todd Martin	....	lighting board operator (uncredited)
Christopher Prampin	....	chief lighting technician: additional photography (uncredited)
Miles Schick	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Ken Seagren	....	rigging gaffer: Boulder, Colorado (uncredited)
Matthew Tichenor	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Steve Van Ness	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Michael Wieben	....	grip (uncredited)
Scott Zuchowski	....	electric: Colorado (uncredited)

Casting Department
Susan Taylor Brouse	....	casting: Canada (as Susan Brouse)
Andrea Brown	....	extras casting
Lynne Carrow	....	casting: Canada
Nina Gold	....	casting: U.K.
Larkin MacKenzie-Ast	....	casting assistant: Canada
Jennifer Ricchiazzi	....	casting assistant
Ambika Leigh	....	extras casting associate: Second Unit (uncredited)
Jennifer L. Smith	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elaine Arsens	....	costumer
Maria Bradley	....	costumer: Ms. Garner
Karin Nosella	....	assistant costume designer
Katie Saunders	....	key costumer: Colorado (as Kathleen Saunders)
Sandra Watson	....	costume supervisor
Jennifer Grossman	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Bradford L. Dean	....	assistant editor (as Brad Dean)
Scott Gregory	....	digital film colorist
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Robb Porter	....	post-production assistant: Modern VideoFilm
Alain J. Romi	....	first assistant editor
Zahida Bacchus	....	digital intermediate producer (uncredited)
Marisa Clayton	....	post-production coordinator: Modern VideoFilm (uncredited)
Jason Fabbro	....	video colorist (uncredited)
Jim Passon	....	color timer (uncredited)
Luis R. Quintero	....	editorial production assistant (uncredited)
Tyler Ruocco	....	editorial production assistant (uncredited)
Mark Sahagun	....	digital intermediate editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Michael DiMattia	....	composer: additional music
Jennifer Nash	....	music editor
Brian Trifon	....	composer: additional music
Mario A. Vitale	....	assistant music editor (as Mario Vitale)
Michael Friedman	....	music consultant (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Andrew O'Bray	....	transportation co-captain
Rob Vreugde	....	transportation captain
Dan Brizendine	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)
Carla Klein	....	driver (uncredited)
Gracie Klein	....	transportation captain (uncredited)
Dave Miller	....	driver: cast (uncredited)
Don Poole	....	transportation coordinator: re-shoots (uncredited)
Tana Tocher	....	production driver (uncredited)
Blake Zickefoose	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Doreen Beaulac	....	assistant accountant
Thomas Bianco	....	production accountant
Maya Birkel	....	production assistant
Lisa Chalmers	....	craft service
Lisa Chalmers	....	first aid
Stephen Chan	....	production assistant
Jason Collier	....	assistant location manager
Hans Dayal	....	assistant location manager
Jitka Dermiskova	....	production assistant
Jason Gaffney	....	production assistant
Juliana Janes	....	assistant: Ms. Garner
Anne Johns	....	production office coordinator: Colorado
Breanne Larrett	....	assistant production coordinator
Grant Lutz	....	production assistant
Daryl Makortoff	....	production assistant
Barbara Mercer	....	assistant accountant
Paul Motschall	....	assistant: Ms. S. Grant
Rino Pace	....	location manager
Karen Pelrine	....	assistant production coordinator
Luis R. Quintero	....	production assistant
Linda Rea	....	assistant: Ms. C. Grant
Robyn Shwer	....	assistant: Ms. Topping
Deborah Simmrin	....	unit publicist
Adrienne Sol	....	production coordinator
Rhonda Taylor	....	assistant: Ms. S. Grant
Christine Wilson	....	script supervisor
Greg Babcock	....	location manager (uncredited)
Seth Brandon	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
John Charles	....	software manager: Sony DAC (uncredited)
Terence Chase	....	security (uncredited)
Luke Cheney	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Heather Cohen	....	assistant production coordinator: reshoots (uncredited)
Katie Duke	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Sean Finnan	....	trainee assistant location manager (uncredited)
Karin Fong	....	title designer (uncredited)
Gil Forrester	....	dolly pusher (uncredited)
Lily Garcia	....	set production assistant: re-shoot (uncredited)
Evan Godfrey	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jina Johnson	....	prep assistant location manager (uncredited)
Jennifer Mancuso	....	production secretary: Boulder, CO (uncredited)
Robert Milicevic	....	security (uncredited)
Jessica Picune	....	office production assistant (uncredited)
A. Rochell Smith	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
John N. Ward	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Kody Zimmermann	....	office production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (as Columbia Pictures) (presents)
• Relativity Media (in association with)
• Tall Trees Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2007-) (worldwide) (all media)
• Columbia Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (A Sony Pictures Entertainment Company)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2007) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2007) (Argentina) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Oxygen Media (2007) (USA) (TV)
• RTL Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Television (2007) (USA) (TV)

Special Effects

• Pixel Playground (uncredited)

Other Companies

• American Foundation for the Blind, Helen Keller Archives  acknowledgement: Helen Keller quote courtesy of
• Celestial Seasonings  special thanks to
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies (uncredited)
• City of Boulder, CO, The  special thanks to
• Columbia Pictures Industries  acknowledgement: is the author of this film (motion picture) for the purposes of copyright and other laws (as Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.)
• Imaginary Forces  titles
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  logo (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Kodak  motion picture film
• Legacy Records  soundtrack (uncredited)
• Leo's Camera Supply  special thanks to
• Orbit Digital  Avids (uncredited)
• Packair Airfreight  international logistics (uncredited)
• Peters Fraser & Dunlop (PFD)  acknowledgement: "On the Same" an epigram from Sonnets and Verse by Hilaire Belloc © 1923, 1938 is reproduced by permission on behalf of the Estate of Hilaire Belloc by (as PFD)
• Reel Team, The  loop group
• Sony Music Soundtrax  soundtrack (uncredited)
• Sony Pictures Studios  post-production sound services (as Sony Pictures Studios, Culver City, California)
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Tivoli Catering  catering (as Tivoli Caterers)
• Union of B.C. Performers  logo (as UBCP)
• Varèse Sarabande  score album (uncredited)
• Video Split Productions  video assist equipment (uncredited)
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

"Catch & Release" - Canada (English title) (DVD box title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and some drug use

Runtime:

USA:124 min | Argentina:124 min | USA:112 min (cable version: Encore channel)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Ireland:12A | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #41473) | Malaysia:U | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Netherlands:AL | South Korea:15 | Germany:o.Al. | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG13 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Boulder, Colorado, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Grady (as featured in photographs) is played by Chris Henrikson, the husband of director Susannah Grant.

Goofs:

Continuity: The number and position of the CDs remaining on the shelf (as Mattie chucks them to the floor) change between shots.

Quotes:

Gray:What's your favorite color?
Fritz:Gray.

Movie Connections:

References Gray Lady Down (1978)

Soundtrack:

Turning Blue

Plot-wise unsurprising, but buoyed by Garner's charm

I saw "Catch and Release" a couple of months ago, the first screening, writer-director Susannah Grant said, of the final cut. It was a very friendly audience, but watching the movie, I couldn't help but feel Grant could have and should have done better.

The film opens promisingly, teasing us and playing with our expectations as we first see Gray (Jennifer Garner) and the circumstances she finds herself in. However, Grant never quite builds on that initial promise and soon "Catch and Release" meanders into traditional romantic comedy territory, complete with the obligatory playful and lovable sidekick - in this case, Sam (Kevin Smith) - and the friend harboring a romantic secret of his own, Dennis (Sam Jaeger).

The crux of the story is Gray's realization that her life is being turned upside down because of what she finds out about a loved one. And - I'm giving away no secrets here, because it is, after all, a romantic comedy - the blossoming romance between her and Fritz (Timothy Olyphant), who at first is seemingly wrong for her. But wanna guess if that will change?

The star of the film is undoubtedly Garner. Just as she did in "13 Going on 30" (2004), she again takes what should be a pedestrian film and boosts it considerably with her undeniable charm. She has a smile that melts the hardest heart and although "Catch and Release" can never shake its conventions, whenever the film entertains, it's mostly because of Garner. She imbues Gray with a vulnerability that's utterly convincing.

Smartly, Grant also gives Smith - essentially playing himself with cleaner language - the film's funniest lines. They're not anything novel, but it's typical Kevin Smith. She also tags on a romantic interest for Sam. It's no surprise, because Grant cannot break the shackles of the genre for something original. You can see the pairing long before it actually happens on screen.

Juliette Lewis seems an oddity in this film. I've not seen her in a film for years and her character tends to grate a bit. Lewis is a good actress, but she seems to get typecast in these off-kilter roles and there's an unmistakable sense we've seen this performance from her before.

Olyphant plays sleazy well - just watch him in the otherwise-forgettable "The Girl Next Door" (2004). In "Catch and Release," his caddish boor actually is a facade. Turns out, this chap's actually a nice guy. He has to be. After all, he has Gray to win over and Grant's doing this by-the-numbers.

And therein lies the film's problem. Despite Grant's admirable attempt to spin the romantic comedy's meet-cute moment, it's hard to believe Gray would fall for a chap who, for the lack of a better phrase, finds carnal comfort at the most unlikely occasions.

Of course, "Catch and Release" has a certain sweetness about it. How can it not when Garner's so adorable. It's polished, looks good; a cut above, say, the odd independent romcoms that tackle the trials and tribulations, the angst and adoration among a group of good friends. But it offers nothing new and relies on a few too many "movie" moments to elicit laughs. Some of those moments are funny, but you get the impression they're not exactly rooted in any realm of reality. Yet, Grant seems to want to lend her story a sense of reality, one that deals with love, loss and forgiveness.

Grant said when she recut her film, she was forced to excise some of Fritz's back story. It doesn't seem warranted, but there seems to be something missing from Fritz. We know the story's moving to get Gray and Fritz together - this is a freakin' Hollywood studio-produced romantic comedy, after all - but it all seems too orchestrated from the beginning.

Is it too much to ask a Hollywood romantic-comedy writer to be even slightly daring? Hollywood-produced romantic comedies, by their very nature, are predictable. You know going in the girl and the guy will wind up together, so it's the journey that is supposed to thrill us. Maybe even surprise us. Grant, however, chooses the safest, and therefore, least surprising, path. She hits all the points a screen writing guru without an ounce of originality would demand be seen in a romcom script. The only novelty here is that Grant got some attractive, appealing and talented actors for her directorial debut. It is they who keep this extremely conventional story from turning unbearable. Though, even Garner's considerable cuteness cannot salvage the film's ending.