'MUSIC AND LYRICS' HITS SOME TOO-SERIOUS NOTES.Byline: Bob Strauss Film Critic There is artistic integrity in "Music and Lyrics." The characters talk about it more than the movie actually displays it. But still, it's not something you usually find in a modern romantic comedy. That's refreshing. But it also takes some juice out of the romantic part of the equation. While trying to whip up a tune that will please a sexy young pop diva, washed-up '80s New Wave idol Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) and insecure aspiring author Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore) duly fall in love. Each one knows just how to repair the other's wounded confidence and bring out the best in his or her partner, which should technically give their romance depth and sure emotional footing. But, probably like most real artists, Alex and Sophie's passion gets channeled into their work. And the biggest threat to their budding relationship revolves around whether to sell out to the pop tart's capricious whims. Alex, who's been reduced to playing amusement park amusement park, a commercially operated park offering various forms of entertainment, such as arcade games, carousels, roller coasters, and performers, as well as food, drink, and souvenirs. and class reunion “School reunion” redirects here. For the Doctor Who episode, see School Reunion (Doctor Who). A class reunion is a meeting of former classmates, typically organized at or near their former school by one of the class on or around an anniversary of their graduation. gigs, is all for anything that will get him back in the limelight. But Sophie, still reeling from being betrayed in print by her former writing professor/lover (an appropriately loathsome Campbell Scott Campbell Scott (born July 19 1961) is an American actor, director, producer, and voice artist. Scott was born in New York City, New York, the son of George C. Scott, an actor, director, and producer, and Colleen Dewhurst, a Canadian-born actress. ), wants both her song and her new boyfriend to live up to her highest standards. It's not the standard rom-com conflict involving some contrived, jealous misunderstanding. And good for that. But writer-director Marc Lawrence Marc Lawrence (February 17 1910 – November 28 2005) was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C. Lawrence. , who worked with Grant on "Two Weeks' Notice," can't match the characters' strong feelings for their creative endeavor with equally convincing ardor ar·dor n. 1. Fiery intensity of feeling. See Synonyms at passion. 2. Strong enthusiasm or devotion; zeal: "The dazzling conquest of Mexico gave a new impulse to the ardor of discovery" for one another. We root for them to have a long and rewarding music career together, but we don't care nearly as much whether wedding bells will ring. Despite that pretty crucial defect, "Music and Lyrics" is often smart and sometimes very funny. It gently but firmly satirizes pop-culture idiocy IDIOCY, med. jur. That condition of mind, in which the reflective, or all or a part of the affective powers, are either entirely wanting, or are manifested to the least possible extent. 2. Idiocy generally depends upon organic defects. , from the poofy-shirted cheesiness chees·y adj. chees·i·er, chees·i·est 1. Containing or resembling cheese. 2. Informal Of poor quality; shoddy. of Alex's old group, PoP, to today's infinitely more vulgar, fake-reality entertainment. The film opens with Alex being wooed to participate in "Battle of the '80s Has-Beens," in which he's expected to box with the likes of Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, the last one standing winning the honor to actually sing. Grant is perfectly cast as the urbane, sarcastic and stoically sto·ic n. 1. One who is seemingly indifferent to or unaffected by joy, grief, pleasure, or pain. 2. Stoic A member of an originally Greek school of philosophy, founded by Zeno about 308 self-deprecating Brit, and he's not a bad crooner, either. The film's revelation is newcomer Haley Bennett as the spiritually pretentious, slut-appeal-selling young superstar Cora Corman. She not only shakes the Britney/Shakira goods expertly, but Bennett has a subtle way of lacing shrewdness and compassion into Cora's bankable bank·a·ble adj. 1. Acceptable to or at a bank: bankable funds. 2. Guaranteed to bring profit: a bankable movie star. facade of blank spirituality and airheaded brattiness. Initially set up as a kook, Sophie quickly calms down into one of Barrymore's more realistic heroines. Her Sophie is smart and talented enough to fulfill Alex's professional and some of his emotional needs, but she doesn't seem like someone a humbled but still happy playboy would have a whole lot of fun with. There is fun to be had with "Music and Lyrics." But it can be too serious for its own good. MUSIC AND LYRICS - Two and one half stars (PG-13: language, sex) Starring: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Haley Bennett, Brad Garrett, Kristen Johnston, Campbell Scott. Director: Marc Lawrence. Running time: 1 hr. 36 min. Playing: In wide release. In a nutshell: Droll droll adj. droll·er, droll·est Amusingly odd or whimsically comical. n. Archaic A buffoon. [French drôle, buffoon, droll, from Old French drolle pop-culture satire, less persuasive romantic comedy in this tale of a has-been '80s New Wave musician trying to come up with a new hit. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Hugh Grant is '80s has-been Alex Fletcher, who is trying to write a song for Haley Bennett's pop diva, Cora Corman, in the romantic comedy "Music and Lyrics." |
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