Directed by Marc Lawrence. Starring High Grant, Drew Barrymore, Kristen Johnston, Campbell Scott, Haley Bennett, Scott Porter, Suzi
I treated myself to this one in the theater on Valentine's Day. Even though it is well known that I am not a big fan of romantic comedies, I will give them a shot from time to time and I'm glad I did with Music & Lyrics, because its a good time if you go into with the right frame of mind.
The plot is an fairly interesting twist on the tried and true boy meets girl-boy loses girl-boy gets girl at the end formula that has been in vogue since the day before the first romantic comedy in the history of cinema. High Grant (Mickey Blue Eyes) is a former 80's pop music star who is own the "downside", as they say, playing at state fairs and even being invited to star in a celebrity boxing match. To make matters even worse, the other part of his previously successful music duo has maintained stardom for all of these years.
Things have the potential to look up for him, in more ways than one, when he has the opportunity to write a song for the current big star (Haley Bennett), something that could get his career back on track. There is just one problem. He has a problem with writing lyrics and he doesn't have much time. Into this breach steps the young woman whose job it is to water his plants (Drew Barrymore 50 First Dates) .
She has what he lacks: a knack for creating catchy and inspired lyrics. The only issue is that she has some past relationship problems of her own and is, initially, somewhat reluctant to help Hugh. Of course, this lessens as their relationship warms up. One of the best things about this flick, for my money, was her older sister (Kristen Johnston) who is unabashedly from the generation that worshipped Hugh and goes ga-ga over her little sister's new man in a way that even her little sis does not.
Look, there is nothing earth shaking-unless you count the brief opening throwback scene of an 80's music video with gorgeous horror Queen Suzi Lorraine (Cold Blonded Murder) as the sultry nurse- or awe inspiring about this movie, its just entertaining with more than its share of laughs. Grant is not everybody's cup of tea, but you do have to give him credit for being an expert at the dry, tongue-in-cheek-with-the-regal-accent dry comeback. He probably has no peer in this narrowly defined category.
I think Barrymore is a supremely talented actress who plays her trademark "happy" girl to perfection here. I would like to see her do something different, with a little more of an edge (think Poison Ivy) , but she is doing very well, thank you, with these very identifiable type of roles. As I alluded to earlier,
Music & Lyrics is a good "chick flick", but the real neat thing about it is that you will get some smiles and laughs from it even if you are not a "chick" or normally into the sappy romance stuff.
It works.
