Susan Granger’s review of “ENOUGH” (Columbia Pictures)
Female empowerment enthusiasts will – literally – get a kick out of one woman’s reaction to domestic abuse in this revenge thriller that’s reminiscent of “Sleeping With the Enemy.” Jennifer Lopez (a.k.a. J.Lo) stars as Slim, a hard-working small-town waitress, who meets and marries Mitch (Bill Campbell), a wealthy contractor whom she thinks is the perfect man. “You’re safe with me,” he assures her on their wedding day. But six years and one child later, she realizes her dreamboat is a nightmare. She discovers he’s having an affair and, after a particularly horrific fight, she grabs her little daughter (Tessa Allen) and leaves, only to be discovered as her devious husband utilizes a sneaky police department source to track her down – over and over again. Truly terrified and desperate, she obtains a new identity, changing both her name and her body. The all-too-convenient discovery of a long-lost, womanizing father (Fred Ward) allows her to obtain enough income to learn Krav Maga, the Israeli army’s martial art, not just to defend herself but to do serious damage. To her credit, J.Lo (“Selena,” “The Wedding Planner,” “Angel Eyes”) is convincing in her frustration and fury, particularly when she boldly wreaks vengeance for her mistreatment. Bill Campbell is significantly scary, while Noah Wylie, Juliette Lewis and Dan Futterman offer stalwart support. But Nicholas Kazan’s intense script is clichŽ-ridden and the intermittent use of “cute” titles, like photos in an album, fails wretchedly. Michael Apted elevates the TV-movie-of-the-week-like screenplay utilizing a meticulous set-up and suspenseful direction. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Enough” is a formulaic 4, leading up to the final fight – and, believe me, that’s ENOUGH. I’d advise waiting for the video of this victim-to-victor saga.
