By Brian Lafferty

March 19, 2010 (San Diego's East County) -- The Bounty Hunter has, on paper, an interesting concept for a romantic comedy: a journalist (Jennifer Aniston) on trial for assault skips bail to help a snitch, who has information about a suicide case she’s investigating. Before they can meet, the snitch is kidnapped. Her ex-husband (Gerard Butler) is offered five grand to bring her back. As the lights went down and the projector ground to life, I thought this premise, contrived as it may be, could deliver some laughs. I wish I could say that was the case.