On the surface, Enough (2002) may seem like just another female-empowerment mantlepiece, however there is much more than meets the eye. Michael Apted, who recently directed the Bond film The World Is Not Enough (1999), chooses a quieter, slow-build approach to the climax forthcoming. Though the characters' motivations are a tad muddled, you are still left with no doubt that the struggle is real.
Instead of following the tried and true formula of presenting a damsel in distress, Slim, played by the multi-talented Jennifer Lopez, is clearly a driven, independent, business-owner finding love unexpectedly through what seems to be a kismet encounter at her restaurant. When a patron attempts to woo her to win a bet, Mitch, played by Billy Campbell, defends her, and the two begin dating. The formula plays out predictably from there: they fall in love, marry, move into her dream home, and have a daughter, Gracie, played by newcomer Tessa Allen. Then one fine day, Slim catches Mitch in a lie and his perfectly held façade begins to unravel. His transition from loving husband and father to psychopathic narcissist was tense and distressing.
From this point, Slim struggles to come to terms with this revelatory information. From a psychological standpoint, the turmoil is both in having to redefine the image of your significant other, but also your own self-identity. Any normal person would question their judgment and have to sift through mounds of fear and doubt, all while trying to conjure a way out. This would be difficult for any woman finding herself in this situation, but when there is a child involved, the stakes are so much higher. Tessa Allen turns in a superb performance, only 5-years-old at the time of filming, pulling your heartstrings at every turn.
With her friend Ginny's (Juliette Lewis) assistance, she is able to get her daughter and flee. Her estranged father sets her up with enough money to purchase a small house, which she begins fortifying with smart contraptions. However, Mitch being a powerful building contractor, he of course has connections with the local police department, and can freeze their joint accounts with ease by a simple phone call.
The writing is as bold as Slim is, choosing to tackle a difficult subject in a time that it was not nearly as politically correct. The film quite intentionally shines a light on the gaping holes in our justice system for victims of domestic abuse, firmly grounding Slim's struggle in reality. The choice to transition from modern pop songs to more somber and then instrumental pieces is both smart and intentional, as it reflects the changes in Slim's life.
After Mitch finds her in the house she hid in and she narrowly escapes, the reality strikes her that she will never be free of him or her daughter be safe unless she ends him once and for all. When he files a case against her for violating his parental rights, she smartly and discreetly sees an attorney, played by Bill Cobb, who confirms what she already knows-that the mandatory court appearances is merely a way to draw her back out, feasibly to kill her. Slim sends Gracie away with Ginny and begins training in Krav Maga, an Israeli self-defense technique. And that's not all-when she breaks into his house, it is apparent that she did her homework, strategically setting the stage for her success. She sets up a cell signal blocker, uses a metal detector to find and relocate all weapons, plants letters that state she was invited over to discuss custody where his gun was to ensure he put his fingerprints on them. Not enough credit can be given to how well-planned the climax was.
This film has been unfairly judged by modern standards. It should be taken into account that this film was released at a time when primarily only Hollywood action films were granted large budgets. Many reviewers have made grossly inaccurate assumptions about plot points because specific actions were not shown. Open your mind and see the film for what it is-an insightful window into the failures of our justice system surrounding domestic abuse. Sleeping With the Enemy (1991) is an unfair comparison, as Slim is in no way shape or form a damsel in distress, and attains a great deal of personal growth bred out of necessity not seen in the aforementioned film.
FINAL VERDICT: Enough (2002) manages to succeed in every way that is important-presenting a believable narrative centered around a strong, confident woman to reinforce the reality that this in fact can happen to anyone, and at its core is the harsh reality is that we as a society need to do better and demand more stringent laws for domestic abusers. The harsh reality is that many women that are victims of domestic abuse do not survive to tell the tale. Is the film perfect? No, but we did not need a perfect film-we needed a bold one willing to speak up for the voices that are still being silenced.
This film was released almost twenty years ago, and yet the statistics are still staggering. As of 2007, females made up 70% of victims killed by an intimate partner, a proportion that has held constant since as far back as 1993. Twice as many females are killed by intimate partners every year than males. In 2007, 24% of females were killed by spouses or ex-spouses.
*Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
So please, do not snuff at or belittle the content of the film. This is a very real and still current problem that needs to be addressed. If you or a loved one is the victim of domestic violence, please contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE.
Instead of following the tried and true formula of presenting a damsel in distress, Slim, played by the multi-talented Jennifer Lopez, is clearly a driven, independent, business-owner finding love unexpectedly through what seems to be a kismet encounter at her restaurant. When a patron attempts to woo her to win a bet, Mitch, played by Billy Campbell, defends her, and the two begin dating. The formula plays out predictably from there: they fall in love, marry, move into her dream home, and have a daughter, Gracie, played by newcomer Tessa Allen. Then one fine day, Slim catches Mitch in a lie and his perfectly held façade begins to unravel. His transition from loving husband and father to psychopathic narcissist was tense and distressing.
From this point, Slim struggles to come to terms with this revelatory information. From a psychological standpoint, the turmoil is both in having to redefine the image of your significant other, but also your own self-identity. Any normal person would question their judgment and have to sift through mounds of fear and doubt, all while trying to conjure a way out. This would be difficult for any woman finding herself in this situation, but when there is a child involved, the stakes are so much higher. Tessa Allen turns in a superb performance, only 5-years-old at the time of filming, pulling your heartstrings at every turn.
With her friend Ginny's (Juliette Lewis) assistance, she is able to get her daughter and flee. Her estranged father sets her up with enough money to purchase a small house, which she begins fortifying with smart contraptions. However, Mitch being a powerful building contractor, he of course has connections with the local police department, and can freeze their joint accounts with ease by a simple phone call.
The writing is as bold as Slim is, choosing to tackle a difficult subject in a time that it was not nearly as politically correct. The film quite intentionally shines a light on the gaping holes in our justice system for victims of domestic abuse, firmly grounding Slim's struggle in reality. The choice to transition from modern pop songs to more somber and then instrumental pieces is both smart and intentional, as it reflects the changes in Slim's life.
After Mitch finds her in the house she hid in and she narrowly escapes, the reality strikes her that she will never be free of him or her daughter be safe unless she ends him once and for all. When he files a case against her for violating his parental rights, she smartly and discreetly sees an attorney, played by Bill Cobb, who confirms what she already knows-that the mandatory court appearances is merely a way to draw her back out, feasibly to kill her. Slim sends Gracie away with Ginny and begins training in Krav Maga, an Israeli self-defense technique. And that's not all-when she breaks into his house, it is apparent that she did her homework, strategically setting the stage for her success. She sets up a cell signal blocker, uses a metal detector to find and relocate all weapons, plants letters that state she was invited over to discuss custody where his gun was to ensure he put his fingerprints on them. Not enough credit can be given to how well-planned the climax was.
This film has been unfairly judged by modern standards. It should be taken into account that this film was released at a time when primarily only Hollywood action films were granted large budgets. Many reviewers have made grossly inaccurate assumptions about plot points because specific actions were not shown. Open your mind and see the film for what it is-an insightful window into the failures of our justice system surrounding domestic abuse. Sleeping With the Enemy (1991) is an unfair comparison, as Slim is in no way shape or form a damsel in distress, and attains a great deal of personal growth bred out of necessity not seen in the aforementioned film.
FINAL VERDICT: Enough (2002) manages to succeed in every way that is important-presenting a believable narrative centered around a strong, confident woman to reinforce the reality that this in fact can happen to anyone, and at its core is the harsh reality is that we as a society need to do better and demand more stringent laws for domestic abusers. The harsh reality is that many women that are victims of domestic abuse do not survive to tell the tale. Is the film perfect? No, but we did not need a perfect film-we needed a bold one willing to speak up for the voices that are still being silenced.
This film was released almost twenty years ago, and yet the statistics are still staggering. As of 2007, females made up 70% of victims killed by an intimate partner, a proportion that has held constant since as far back as 1993. Twice as many females are killed by intimate partners every year than males. In 2007, 24% of females were killed by spouses or ex-spouses.
*Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
So please, do not snuff at or belittle the content of the film. This is a very real and still current problem that needs to be addressed. If you or a loved one is the victim of domestic violence, please contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE.