Implausible fluff, mere candy floss, but sweet and enjoyable!

Rating: 6/10 (12 February 2007)

This is a surprisingly average movie, with an implausible plot, and a dodgy set-up that would flop miserably in other hands. As it is, Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore are likable stars, and Haley Bennett, the young newcomer who plays the "world's number one pop diva," the Cora Corman character, is very apt for the part. She's perky, wickedly innocent, and out-Britneys Britney herself. She's what Britney Spears USED to be, years ago. Overall, is was rather lame and kind of stupid, but enjoyable in a "two-hours of escapist fluff" kind of way. As nice as candy-floss (cotton candy), which has its place. Although I did not for one minute believe the pop-singer voice dubbed in for High Grant was really he!
(It remains to be seen if Miss Bennett's career ever goes anywhere, or if the pop star glam in this flick was just a veneer that wears off in the first wash.)
One of the things "Music & Lyrics" brings up is the weird real-world of pop stardom and 'celeb' status anyway. Here in the UK, entire TV series are devoted to endless tripe about nobodies who somehow got to be called 'celebrities' for a few weeks. And even with those with an ostensible 'talent', such as pop-singing, one must ask oneself: Why is one singer or act famous, and another yesterday's news?
That's a rhetorical question, of course. It certainly seems that the way the real-life Britney Spears and Madonnas get to be number one, famous, and so rich, is as much a result of pure luck and marketing as anything else. One likes to think there was a day, back in the 60s and 70s, perhaps, when true artistry was a prerequisite for celebrity. True, many real geniuses did not make it, and the coffee houses and Denny's (in the US) are filled with thousands of nice folks with real talent who have stories about how they 'almost' made it, but ended up ordinary, like the rest of us. Many great artists still can't make it today, too--- but blame the Fates, or karma, or Mega-Global-Com Inc.
But wasn't it that way, once? You know--- when the vast majority of those who made it big and got famous had real talent? Or is that merely my nostalgic imagination? Anyway--- 'Music & Lyrics' reminded me of all of that. And middle aged Hugh Grant was believable as a self-described "80s has-been", and Drew Barrymore was charming and sweet. Although, to be honest, her plant-nanny character's instant lyrics and song skills resembled the advertising jingles continually cooked up on the old 60s TV show, 'Bewitched'. Barrymore reminded me more than once of Bewitched's hapless Darren Stevens, at the phony and clichéd McMahon & Tate Advertising Agency. Oh well.