I enjoyed the book more, yet the film version of the initial Stephanie Plum adventure is not bad. Katherine Heigl quickly becomes comfortable in the role and isn’t hesitant to allow Plum to act foolishly or talk too much. Plum never quite gets up to speed in her bounty hunting expertise, but there is plenty of room to grow in subsequent films, and Heigl is actually pretty solid in portraying character growth.  All in all, it’s not a bad beginning, though I had certainly hoped for more.

What would have made it better? More imaginative direction from Julie Anne Robinson, or perhaps somebody else. Plum’s adventures follow the book closely, although the violence, language and sexual shenanigans are toned down to get a PG-13 rating. Personally, I think they should have gone for the R. Plum is a tough Jersey girl and this evolves into a fairly rough story, deserving of more rigorous filmmaking. Robinson’s direction is more mechanical than observant, hitting expected highlights without a lot of pizazz, and awkwardly chopping many of the transitional scenes.

I may be showing some sexism here, but I wonder how a male director would have handled things. I think it helps tell the story from a female perspective that Robinson emphasizes things like Plum’s all-encompassing purse, the way the women talk to each other and the emphasis on character rather than action. On the other hand, the film isn’t particularly punchy or sharp. A better director would have punched up the action and sharpened its finer points. For instance, I cannot recall how Plum’s friend, whom she calls on the cell phone constantly, is introduced, or why their bond is so important. Maybe my memory is at fault here, but since it is important to the main character this should be more memorable to the audience.

Overall I enjoyed the film. It is a fast food meal of a movie, easy to digest and hard to remember later. I wish more care had been lavished on it because I had a great time reading the book, but it’s a decent start. This is the type of project that could be done every couple of years, with Heigl donning the brunette wig, reprising a role that really fits her personality. There are eighteen books so far, which could keep Heigl and company (especially Daniel Sunjata, who was terrific as Ranger) busy for the next couple of decades. Critics have savaged the movie, and especially Heigl, but she isn’t the liability that they are portraying. A better actress would obviously have done more with the part, but some parts — especially leads — do not require great acting. Just personality. I feel that Heigl fits Plum’s character pretty well, and more so as the film goes on. Give her a chance. But change directors.  ✰ ✰ ½.  31 Jan. 2012.