Well, very nice opening credits. I love the floating and then bouncing bubbles that make the "o" in contributor's names.

Affleck and Paltrow (especially Paltrow) are engaging and believable, but "Bounce" is a rather one note film. Now it's a good note, one I'm glad filmmakers took the time to emphasize; but harmony and counterpoint would have kept these ninety-minutes a bit more compelling.

The film's ads diminish its effect. So I won't tell you anything of the plot. Not a thing. Paltrow and Affleck are certainly big enough names to draw a crowd. I think an ad campaign that clipped only vague segments of these two talented performers would have been sufficient to fill theaters. There was no need to dilute what should have been a powerful first act.

Then because of the mono-story, the second act has almost nothing in the way of plot progression to offer. Lastly, the filmmakers choose to ambush the third act pay-off kicker with a cliché, way-predictable complication that deflated my hopes for this piece. I say "deflated" because despite its shortcomings, I was quite enjoying the acting, dialogue, chemistry, care, and yes, that one hearty note. A unique and potent third act could have made this picture extraordinarily memorable.

As Paltrow says, "If you grade on a curve, I'm happy." It's her performance that bounces this film's rating out of the red to barely a percentage point above average.

(Director statement, "Life is unpredictable and love is the only thing you can hang onto.")