Enough (2002)
Everyone has their limit
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Bill Campbell, Tessa Allen, Juliette Lewis, Dan Futterman, Noah Wyle, Fred Ward, Janet Carroll, Bill Cobbs, Christopher Maher, Bruce A. Young, Bruce French, Ruben Madera, Dan Martin, Jeff Kober
Director: Michael Apted
Running Time: 115 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: 15
Drama, Thriller
On DVD I shouldn't laugh. Really I shouldn't. There's nothing at all funny about domestic violence. It's a deadly serious issue. It should be dealt with sensitively, and with sympathy and understanding. Then again, the makers of 'Enough' clearly weren't bothered about that sort of thing, so why should the audience be?
It's difficult to emphasise just how stupid a film this is. Stupidly entertaining, granted, but stupid nonetheless. It stars Jennifer Lopez as a waitress (what's that? J-Lo playing a working class type? Well I never!) who goes on the run with daughter Gracie (Tessa Allen) after husband Mitch (Bill Campbell) chucks a wobbler and starts using her as a punch bag.
Having steered well clear of any such sensible courses of action as telling the police or going to hospital, she's left with no evidence to back up her claims against her pantomime villain-esque hubby. So, like any respectable mommy-from-the-block would, she goes to some intensive self-defence classes and prepares to open up one serious can of whoopass.
For such an awfully scripted, poorly cast, plot hole-strewn and generally badly put-together pile of jobbies, 'Enough' is surprisingly watchable. That's predominantly because seeing it struggle from one improbable contrivance to the next is so fascinating. When first making her escape from Hubby From Hell, J-to-the-L-O attempts a ridiculously intricate night-time escape, instead of simply waiting until he's at work/with his floozy. At another point, her long lost dad (Fred Ward) starts funding her entire existence despite having only just made it clear that he doesn't give a monkey's about her and, in fact, doesn't even quite believe that she's really his daughter anyway. Well, let's face it, there's not much of a resemblance.
Then there's the characters' names. J-Lo's called Slim Hiller. For one thing, Slim's not a name, and for another, Hiller sounds far too much like 'Hitler'. And dad's called Jupiter. JUPITER! Who in the name of sweet Moses would call their son Jupiter?? And it's never even SUGGESTED in the course of the movie that anyone might find this guy's name a little daft. They treat him as if it's perfectly normal for him to be called Jupiter. Normal! To be called Jupiter! Well, let me tell you, it's not. If anything, it's sick.
If director Michael Apted and co had played their part and ironed out all of these faults, then I might have been a little more prepared to play mine and not chortle all the way through it.
DVD Extras: Director and writer/producer commentary, deleted scenes with optional commentary, 3 featurettes, filmographies, a 'Making Of' special, a music video with Guess Who, and some trailers.
It's Got: Bill Cobbs as the world's most pessimistic lawyer.
It Needs: To ditch the pointless and completely unnecessary chapter titles which flash up on the screen throughout the first half of the movie - only to be completely abandoned later on.
Alternatives: Sleeping With the Enemy
Summary: Don't let the subject matter fool you - you won't be able to take this movie remotely seriously. Jupiter. I ask you.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 29th September 2003
External Links
Official Web Site
Enough at the IMDB
Comments2 Comments |
| I think the movie was excellent. It showed what most women have to go through when they don't make the right choices. I think Jennifer Lopez's performance in the movie was excellent. A few names and subtitles don't make a movie horrible just because you don't like them. It's a great movie about survival and protection for your life and others. |
| Comment by:- Kasumi Long | | 25 June 2004 | ip: logged |
| The story line for enough was very realistic. If you "have" or "have know" someone who has been a victom of domestic abuse the story makes perfect sense. It tells a story that every victim can relate too. Plenty women do actually flee with their children to get out of similar situations... In the real worrld the "abused" loses everything when the "abuser" has money. Hell, the system is easy enough for abusers without money. Someone did there homework while writting this script. Good Job! Looking at Gary's reviews it is obvious that he doesn't enjoy flicks with females playing the leading roles, he's not into The Top Hottest Celeb's. Regaurdless of their acting ability they get slammed. Cheesy comedy or out of date films seem to get a High Five from Gary. |
| Comment by:- FROMnANGEL | | 01 April 2005 | ip: logged |
