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Before that came American Dreamz, Bridget Jones (I & II), Love Actually, Mickey Blue Eyes, Notting Hill, Sense and Sensibility, Nine Months and Four Weddings and A Funeral just to name a few. And if we’re being completely open here, only Bridget Jones Diary
(number one) can be considered a “classic” romantic comedy. The others
had their moments, but can’t keep up with films like When Harry Met Sally, As Good As It Gets, and Pretty Woman or older classics like The Graduate and Bringing Up Baby. But we must give some credit to Grant and director/writer Marc Lawrence for almost coming close.
The
film opens with a video from fictional 80’s band Pop! (obviously
modeled after the real 80’s band Wham!) with singer Alex Fletcher
(Grant) shaking his booty for one of Pop!’s biggest hits. But that was
twenty years ago and today Alex works his oldies act in hotel ballrooms
and state fairs. When his manager (Brad Garrett) learns that current
pop star Cora Corman (Haley Bennett) wants Alex to write a song for her
new album (but giving him just a few days to pull it off) Alex
desperately searches for a lyricist to match his music-writing skills.
That’s when a strange plant lady, Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore)
suddenly becomes the lyrics lady. As the writing takes off, so does
their relationship.
While Barrymore adequately plays her part as
a whacky, insecure hypochondriac, it’s Grant’s delivery of some killer
one-liners that saves it from being just another Hugh Grant comedy. For
the first two-thirds of the film I’m sometimes reminded of Dudley
Moore’s performance in Arthur.
The dialogue is quick and intelligent. Unfortunately, the “just another
Hugh Grant comedy” begins to surface toward the latter part of the film
with a fairly predictable conclusion.
Newcomer Bennett is wonderfully perfect as the Britney/Christina-like, sexy pop diva. And Kristen Johnston from TV’s 3rd Rock from the Sun
is great as Sophie’s older, dizzy sister and fawning Pop! fan. How much
longer Grant can remain a top the “funny love story” mountain remains
to be seen. And though Music and Lyrics will never reach classic status, it holds just enough to keep Grant from falling off his perch.
EXTRAS
DVD extras include - well, nothing special - some additional scenes; a
gag reel; a featurette and an excruciating music video. Like the film,
the supplementary materials may entertain your 12-year-old niece. Conclusion:
Movie 60% Extras: 55%
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