Music and Lyrics (2007)

Music & Lyrics

I thoroughly enjoy watching this movie over and over. Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore definitely have a chemistry that I wouldn't have expected, especially due to their age difference; and I have always loved Brad Garrett and wish he would make more movies that even star him. June 30, 2008

a truly good romantic comedy

We bought this DVD for our daughter's birthday, and watched it with her. Then I asked for a copy of my own for my birthday.

It's funny... or rather, it isn't--that romantic comedies are often considered trite, mindless entertainment, but yet it's apparently really hard to make a good one. I see a lot more good action movies than romantic comedies, or comedies in general.

Anyway. Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is an 80s pop star has-been. He's reduced to doing shows at theme parks and state fairs for an increasingly older, primarily female audience. But now he's got a chance to make a comeback. Current pop diva Cora Corman (Haley Bennett) wants him to write a duet for the two of them, but only if he can have it ready in a week. Unfortunately for Alex, his usual lyricist is unavailable, Alex cannot write lyrics at all, and the substitute his manager sends is depressing.

Enter Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore). She's the "plant girl"--that is, she comes by to water his plants--and her comments lead Alex to offering her the job of helping him write the song. Just that much would be a cute movie, but it doesn't stop there.

Sophie can't take it seriously because, while she loves putting words together, an ex-lover who's a professor and a literary writer, told her that her writing sucked.

And that's what made it a truly good movie. Under the witty banter, catchy tunes, and funny situations is the story of two people recovering their confidence and sense of self-worth and falling in love as they do it.

In fact, I think that's where the mediocre romantic comedies fail--they try to make things funny by keeping them light, glossing over problems. But Music and Lyrics was romantic and funny precisely because Sophie couldn't tell her ex off, and Alex couldn't stand up for his song. It's basically the cinema equivalent of a Jennifer Crusie novel.

I tend to enjoy Hugh Grant movies--sue me--so I'm a little biased, but I think he fit this role really well. There was precisely the right balance between earnestness and, well, cheese. It would have been an easy role to overplay, to go over the top with silliness, but he doesn't. The same with Drew Barrymore--though her character's more understated, she's completely believable.

And it didn't hurt that around the same time that I saw this movie, I read Waiting for Nick, or that we we'd been watching the DVDs of Third Rock From the Sun. (Kristen Johnston plays Sophie's sister.)

And oh, yeah, the music. Very catchy. "Pop! Goes My Heart" kept running through my head for days afterward.... oh, darnit. Now it's back. June 11, 2008

You better like Hugh Grant...

This is a very cute movie about a mythical 80's performer (think WHAM! or Men without hats, etc.) who is still out there plugging along and trying to get back into the spotlight without his lyricist.

There are some very interesting scenes, like the Bernie-Taupin-meets-stud-flesh lyricist, the buddhist-sex-goddess-rap-blondie and her entourage, and then the scene where he records his song in a couple of hours on his home system. Wow! to have that kind of talent to play all of those instruments 'just like that' and pop out a demo in no time! yuh!

The love interest is properly offhanded and consumed in 'unimportant' pursuits to repeatedly ignore the monster opportunity lying in front of her, so we all respect her the morning after.

I am not so sure about the finale, but there are a lot of lights and things!...and Love...

*** should do it
-Chris
June 9, 2008

Music & Mediocre Lyrics

The movie is okay, and by that score is perhaps worth watching (but for all intensive purposes is a waste of time). Drew is always adorable and Hugh is always at least semi-entertaining, both of which partially make up for the rather lack-luster chemistry and bad lyrics. But even with their star power, the movie just doesn't make the cut (onto my DVD shelf). May 25, 2008

Exceeded my expectations; "Pop Goes My Heart" video is a spot-on spoof

Anyone shying away from 'Music and Lyrics' because, like me, they're leery of getting roped into a Drew Barrymore film is in for a pleasant surprise. The uncomfortable Barrymore/Grant romantic pairing aside (their 14+ year age gap feels more like 22 or so), this film is an excellent look at the creative process by writer/director Marc Lawrence, best known for creating the underrated Miss Congeniality (Deluxe Edition) franchise for Sandra Bullock (he also penned & directed the Bullock/Grant film Two Weeks Notice (Widescreen Edition)). 'Music and Lyrics' reminds me a bit of Hustle & Flow (Widescreen Edition) - both take a detailed, inside look inside the song creation process.

The special treat here is Grant's character's backstory as the Andrew Ridgeley-type lesser light in a Wham!-like duo. There's a megahit song as part of that backstory - "Pop Goes My Heart" - which is very, very catchy and infectious...every bit as good as anything Wham! ever put out. I found myself singing it for days.

Most delightfully, there's an accompanying 80s MTV-like video of "Pop Goes My Heart," portions of which start the movie. The whole thing is available as an extra on the DVD. Plus, there's wonderful 'making of' stuff. Grant says there that to prep they watched a lot of Duran Duran videos saying they were trying to nail the essence of those loopy things, where a song would be lip-synched and play-acted in the goofiest, kitschiest types of settings, ergo, the operating room setting of their spot-on spoof. Great stuff all around by the "Music and Lyrics" creative team to pull that off. That thing along is worth the price of viewing. May 21, 2008

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