'Music and Lyrics' Doesn't Pop

Rating: 4/10 (12 April 2007)

Marc Lawrence's "Music and Lyrics" begins as an enduring melody, but fails to maintain its rhythm. The film's potential echoes in its pairing of Hollywood A-listers Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore who have a wonderful on-screen harmony. Yet, the film's potential falls flat as the storyline begins to drag making the film's once catchy beat seem increasingly forced.
Grant steals the show with his comical portrayal of Alex Fletcher, a has-been 80's singer from the hit band "PoP!" who earns a living performing at high school reunions and fairs for screaming middle-aged women. Suddenly, Alex is visited by fan and pseudo-Zen pop sensation Cora Corman (played by Haley Bennett in her feature film debut) who asks Alex to write the lyrics for a song to be titled "Way Back Into Love." Alex must complete the song within three days, which proves to be a daunting task for a musician who isn't a strong lyricist. As Alex states: "I once rhymed you and me with autopsy."
Alex finds a glimmer of hope in getting the lyrics in Sophie Fisher (Barrymore), the uptight, jumpy and guarded woman who waters his plants. Sophie's talent for song writing  and knack for drowning plants  becomes evident as she mutters lyrics out loud as Alex struggles with his. This sets the stage for a working relationship that quickly turns romantic. But like most movies of the comedy-romance genre, an altercation erupts which temporarily disrupts the lives of the once love-smitten characters, until a solution brings about a resolution that finds a "Way Back Into Love."
The songs featured in "Music and Lyrics" by composer Adam Schlesinger ("That Thing You Do!") are catchy. While watching the film I found myself tapping my foot to Alex's rendition of "PoP! Goes My Heart" and hours later I was still humming "Way Back Into Love." The music also serves another purpose: it is symbolic of the personal growth Grant's character experiences in the film. The time Alex spends with Sophie increases his self-awareness improving his self-expression as a lyricist. Alex's progress becomes apparent when he performs his meaningful and heartfelt ballad "Don't Write Me Off," which greatly contrasts the lively, but empty lyrics of his 80's pop song "PoP! Goes My Heart."
The unique chemistry between Grant and Barrymore saves this film from suffering a dreadful fate. "Music and Lyrics" is another example of Grant's mastery of the subtle, sly and sarcastic humor that works so well in the romantic-comedy genre. Barrymore shines with her casual congenial cuteness as she sings a beautiful duet with Grant's subtleness.
Yet, Grant and Barrymore's chemistry can't bring this film to a level above mediocrity. The film is 96 minutes long, but feels much longer. Writer, director, and producer Lawrence (who also wrote and directed "Two Weeks Notice"), spends too much time focusing on the song writing process, which is funny at first, but becomes increasingly tiring. Also, the succeeding scenes involving Alex and Sophie's business dealings with Cora are too long and are further aggravated by Cora's complete lack of personality (the character is as hollow as a Barbie doll).
The lack of character development doesn't end with Cora. Alex's manager (Brad Garrett) and Sophie's sister and Alex's biggest fan (Kristen Johnston) have the potential of becoming intriguing additions to the film, but instead are mere scene fillers. Many good comedy- romance films have supporting characters that struggle with some type of personal problem, such as "The Wedding Singer" (another Barrymore film), where Holly (Christine Taylor) and Sammy (Allen Covert) both struggle with loneliness, which makes the characters interesting. Yet, the supporting characters in "Music and Lyrics" do not face any personal struggles; they are simply on-lookers to the budding romance between Alex and Sophie. This left me emotionally detached from their characters.
A spark in the form of a song did awaken me during Cora's concert at the end of the film, but it wasn't enough to heat up its contents and warm my heart up to the characters again. "Music and Lyrics" is packed with potential, but lacks the pop necessary to put it over the top.
"Music and Lyrics," released by Warner Brothers, is rated PG-13 due to suggestive sexual situations.