It is a well known fact that American comedies generally suffer from lackluster scripts, usually employed as vehicles for rising or established stars. The Bounty Hunter is no exception, as its charm lies solely in the joint presence of Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston, rather than in the fact that Andy Tennant (Hitch) is directing. Of course, even two fine actors such as those in this film are no good if the material is beneath their talent.
The story goes like this: Butler is an ex-cop who currently works as a bounty hunter. One day, he is given the opportunity to bring in his ex-wife (Aniston), who is wanted by the police after jumping bail. As he tracks her down and embarks on a hellish journey to take her back home, the two find themselves in the middle of a murky murder case, not to mention a series of situations that put their hatred for each other to the test.
On paper, there's plenty of potential for a moderately entertaining action comedy: think Midnight Run with a rom-com twist. Unfortunately, the film is an uneven mess, jumping from cringe-worthy "romantic" moments to OTT action scenes, complete with clichéd hotel room/strip club bits that have been out of fashion for quite some time. The tonal inconsistencies are reflected in the acting, as well: supporting performances range from passably straight (Jeff Garlin) to borderline ridiculous (Christine Baranski), whereas the leading duo does generally fine when they're together, less so separately, with Aniston being clearly more at ease with the less physically demanding stuff, while the opposite is true for Butler.
In short, The Bounty Hunter is an inconsistent picture that doesn't have enough laughs for a comedy, nor the appropriate direction for an action flick. The best option would be to ignore it altogether.
