NO STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rated PG-13 for intense scenes of domestic violence, some sensuality and language.
115 Minutes
Directed By: Michael Apted
Written By: Nicholas Kazan
Staring: Jennifer Lopez, Bill Campell, Tessa Allen, Fred Ward, Noah Wylie, and Juliette Lewis
You have a divine animal right to protect your own life and the life of your offspring. -Ginny
Synopsis
On the run from an abusive husband, a young mother begins to train herself to fight back.
Review
*sigh* Another Jennifer Lopez engine gone bad, seriously, and the concept is, “self defense isn’t murder?” Is this an inspiring thought? Is this what audiences want to root for? I had enough of Enough fifteen minutes in. It’s Sleeping With The Enemy gone Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2. She escaped the big bad abuser husband and toughed up enough to have a physical throw down with him. The concept annoys me on many levels, but the continued execution just furthered my immediate concern. This was supposed an “I’m woman, hear me roooooar” type film, but I think it was more insulting than anything else.
Jennifer Lopez’s husband played by Billy Campbell is abusive physically and mentally. Raising a young child together, Lopez’s character has had “Enough” and leaves with her child. Hiding out with a new identity, but knowing her husband will be relentless till he finds them, she opts for physical training to have a face to face showdown. As far as I’m concerned she might as well have put mines in the front yard, gotten the kid from Home Alone to booby trap the house, and hired the kids from Goonies to help her escape. Each idea is just as fantastical as the one director Michael Apted tries to sell us.
I honestly feel bad for the audiences that paid to see this one in the theatre. I admit to being entranced by the previews as well, but something told me to wait for DVD. It’s a toss up going to the theatres, or when renting whether a films going to be good or bad. If you’re a person like me, a lot of bad or mediocre and the occasional good or great is expected, but every once in awhile a movie plain and simply side blinds you with how absolutely horrible it is, and Enough was one of those movies. It’s tone is so manipulative, even when she’s working out you feel like the director’s hoping you’ll get that female Rocky feel, but the dialogue, the pacing, the explanations behind everything is so affected it is insulting to it’s viewers to think we’d actually fall for something so unauthentic . Even though The Brave One had it’s issues, Jodi Foster and film tried to make a point and pay attribute to women or people that have suffered at the hands of violence, this film glorified it.
Given the fact that our main character isn’t worth rooting for, most of the post climatic events seem pointless and you have ENOUGH time to wonder about how ridiculous the situation truly is. Even if the guy is a psychopath, he’s the father of your son and your plan is to pump up the iron and wait for him to come and get you so you can kill him and make it look like an accident. The premeditation of her acts, and disregard for her child is even more bothersome. Okay, so I just can’t deal with this movie. It’s making me angry just typing.
Why do Jennifer Lopez movies end up so terrible? She started off with great movies like, Out Of Sight, The Cell, and U-Turn, and this is what her career became. I guess if she was in search of money and fame instead of integrity and soul she got what she wanted. Enough is possibly one of the worst additions to her portfolio and that is truly saying something. I consistently watch films from any genre and any generation, but I need a break from these Jennifer Lopez movies. This one is making me go into temporary retirement. If J-Lo’s in the title and it’s after 2000 I advise against watching, unless you enjoy self induced migraines.
Hee. I don’t know , this one is manipulative but I like it in spurts and for some reason I find the girl who plays her daughter hilarious.