Adequate Friday Night Fluff

Rating: Null/10 (11 March 2007)

I like Hugh Grant. He's unapologetically British and exudes a self deprecating wit in his screen roles that makes it almost impossible to criticize him. Whatever you could think of to say against him, I'm sure he's thought of it already and probably said it too. He does what he does; like him or leave him alone. And in this movie, I liked what he did quite a lot. I presume the movie was written for him, because it would be absolutely nothing without him.
Music and Lyrics is a reasonable Friday Night Movie. Entertaining in a very accessible way but not actually brain dead. It is not terribly original, and is more than a little clichéd, but contains enough good one-liners to make the audience laugh aloud, and I certainly left the cinema feeling I'd had my money's worth - although I'd be the first to admit it wasn't an especially intellectual two hours. But, as I've said in these reviews several times before, what more do you really need after a tough week at work? Grant plays an aging rocker (Alex Fletcher) from a once fashionable 80's pop band. He now makes a modest but adequate living playing gigs at theme parks and high school reunions, while being mobbed by middle aged women. (Predictably the girl he hooks up with is much, much younger of course.) When the movie begins we see him being induced to take part in a new TV show, Battle of the 80's Has-Beens. Fletcher points out helpfully, that as his last hit was in 1990 he is, strictly speaking, a 90s Has-Been, thus setting the scene for a movie full of gentle self mockery. The problem is that the TV Exec takes the "Battle" part of the title literally and plans on pitting the now middle aged pop stars against each other in the boxing ring. Fletcher isn't quite that desperate yet, although the TV show is a running gag throughout the film. His agent Chris Riley (entertainingly played by Brad Garrett) wants him to take it.
Out of the blue he finds himself with an opportunity to write a song for a new star, a young, nubile popster Cora Corman played by Haley Bennett (who is simply drop dead gorgeous.) Our hero can write music but not lyrics. Enter stage left one Sophie Fisher (rather inadequately played by Drew Barrymore doing cute and fluffy yet again. I like Drew Barrymore, but I found her unconvincing here) posing as a plant waterer, who just happens to be a poet. A fairly predictable romance occurs, and after a few pitfalls, they all live happily ever after. Ever grateful for small mercies, I'm at least glad the script didn't call for Grant to hook up with the barely legal Corman. The running gag about hip replacements was slightly overdone. I mean this guy is supposed to be in his late 40's not his 80's.
What makes the movie worth watching are the cringe-inducing scenes of Grant, as an 80's hipster - with a dreadful hairstyle and matching wardrobe - prancing around with his band, and also the reasonably witty dialog. Those of us who were around and semi-adult in the 80's have a lot to answer for. Was it really as bad as this? Some of the jokes are passably funny, and both my 50-something husband and 16 year old son enjoyed it more than I thought they would. Sample dialog; Alex (humming song melody) "I've been sleeping with a clown above my bed". Sophie; "Clown? Clown? It's CLOUD! Why would you sleep with a clown above your bed?" Alex; "It wouldn't be the first time, trust me." And so on. All good clean fun, and you'd have to be a Spartan not to crack a smile. Which brings me onto this week's movie. But that's enough for here and now. Music and Lyrics works at a certain minimal level. Just don't expect too much.