Enough

Masterful performance by Jlo, maybe she should stick to acting lol 😆 only complaint is how Slim conveniently had a dad who was loaded and how well connected her husband is. I haven’t read the book which is likely where this plot came from but straying would’ve been more real imo!

A solid, straightforward thriller. A great performance as a woman fighting back against abuse, and that strength carries the film. The empowerment theme gives it lasting relevance, and the ending provides a cathartic sense of justice that still lands today.

Enough is one of those gloriously dramatic early 2000s thrillers that critics treated like it had personally wronged them, and yet I will continue defending it from my couch in Seattle, where I am always contractually obligated to get excited when my city shows up on screen. Nothing delights me more than spotting local scenery while a movie is busy serving panic, trauma, and Jennifer Lopez in full “I have had enough of this man” mode.

And yes, Slim fleeing to Seattle gives the movie an extra layer of comfort for me, which is funny considering she is, in fact, fleeing for her life. The Capitol Hill scenes with her gentle ex boyfriend Joe, played by Dan Futterman, were shot at 311 East Thomas Street, and I love that the film uses actual Seattle locations instead of some sad generic stand in pretending a random alleyway is the Pacific Northwest. Throw in those sweeping shots of Elliott Bay and the Space Needle, and suddenly her temporary refuge comes with civic pride.

I know this movie scores terribly with critics, but honestly, that just makes me want to like it more. Is it subtle? Absolutely not. Is it a little ridiculous? Of course. Is it still deeply watchable? Completely.

The cast is great, Dan Futterman is wonderful as always, and I especially enjoyed him here as the soft, safe contrast to all the chaos. On the other hand, I truly hate seeing Noah Wyle play such a terrible guy. He does it well, which is probably the problem. Some people are not meant to ruin lives on screen when you’re used to liking their face.

Enough may not be high art, but it is an extremely satisfying “do not test this woman” thriller with strong performances, deliciously intense energy, and the added bonus of Seattle getting a proper cinematic moment. The critics can keep clutching their pearls. I’ll be over here enjoying the skyline.

I love this movie! A woman doing whatever it takes to survive, save herself and her daughter.

8/10