One for the Money

An unemployed woman (Katherine Heigl), desperate for money, goes to work as a bounty hunter for her bail-bondsman cousin. Her assignment: to bring in a bail-jumping murder suspect (Jason O’Mara)—who happens to be the guy who took her virginity in high school, then never called. Writers Stacy Sherman, Karen Ray and Liz Brixus and director Julie Anne Robinson adapt the first of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels, no doubt as a hoped-for franchise for Heigl. Chances look good; this one is breezy and enjoyable, and a decent mystery to boot. A little disorderly in construction and unsteady of pace, but nothing Heigl’s star presence (and her amusing bantering chemistry with O’Mara) can’t overcome. There’s good support from Daniel Sunjata as Heigl’s mentor and Debbie Reynolds as her wacky grandmother. J.L.