Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

When I heard the description of Committed, I was expecting a light-hearted romantic comedy about a man's midlife crisis, and the woman who loves him enough to bring him out of it, so they can go on to live happily ever after. What I got was a real mess.

Heather Graham and Luke Wilson play Joline and Carl. We first meet them on their wedding day, and they seem blissfully happy. The very next scene is nearly two years later, and Carl's having problems. His career is not going as well as expected, and he acts as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders. Next thing we know, he's outta there. He leaves Joline a note, and takes off.

But Joline is not one to give up. She believes in sacred vows, and thought that "'til death do us part" meant more than 2 years. So she chases after Carl. Figures out where he is, and then the movie gets really dumb. Because she doesn't confront him, so they can talk out their problems, and maybe seek some help. Nope, she decides to give him "his space". She'll simply stalk him for a while. Watch him in silence while he moves on without her.

That was so weird, for me. The decision to, basically, spy on him, rather than talk to him, was ridiculous, in my mind. I get that Joline's a "spiritual" person. I get that she wants to give her husband some time and space to work things out. But it still makes no sense to me. She does, however, interact with his new co-workers, and his new girlfriend. All without his knowledge.

If you think that part of the plot is a bit ridiculous, let me just say that's nothing, compared to the rest of the story. It just gets worse. Lots worse. Joline's acts get more and more ridiculous. And the movie just goes downhill.

Other than Joline, none of the characters are given any depth whatsoever. We only know Carl for 5 minutes before he's leaving his attractive and (until then, at least) reasonable wife. We never get a feel for what his real problem is. OK, so your career isn't going along too well. I can think of about a hundred ways to improve that situation, that don't involve leaving your wife. It just made no sense that Carl walked out on her the way he did.

Joline's brother, played by Casey Affleck, was almost as bad. First of all the performance was ridiculous. Casey looks, sounds, and acts, like a little kid in this movie. Not like the adult brother he's supposed to be. He does several things that make no sense at all, and are not explained. One scene in particular, seemed to me like the actor was playing a practical joke during the filming, and they left the scene in. In other words, it was really ridiculous and completely out of character, and inappropriate to the storyline.

Then there's Carl's new neighbor. He develops a liking for Joline, but he came off as rather creepy to me. Of course, Joline's parking her car right outside this guy's house, and using it as her personal stake-out spot. So I guess she's asking for some trouble. I mean, couldn't she have found a spot that's not directly in front of someone else's house!!

And don't even get me started on the fact that Carl doesn't notice his own wife, as she sits in her car right outside his neighbor's house. She was no more than 50 feet from Carl's front door, and he never once noticed!! It's just one more problem in this ridiculous movie.

So was there anything good about this movie?

I liked that at least some of the characters grow from the beginning of the movie to the end. At least we see some maturity. And, I suppose it's commendable that Joline tries as hard as she does to save her marriage, without simply tossing in the towel.

But for the most part, there is nothing particularly good about this movie.

Recommended: No