Did You Hear About the Morgans?

Plot synopsis:
With scenes of Manhattan, we hear a man leaving a message on the answering machine of Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker). He says it is Paul (Hugh Grant) calling, and thought of her today, as it was the 3 month anniversary of their separation. He says he saw her on the cover of the New Yorker magazine, and what a great success shes made herself as a realtor and her office. The machine stops, and hes run out of time. Paul calls back, and tells her he regrets what he did, and asks if she is getting the gifts he has been sending. The machine shuts off, and once again, he calls back to finish leaving his message. He says he misses her.Meryl Morgan is a speaker at a formal dinner and fundraiser for charity, and while giving her speech at the podium, she sees Paul in the back, and gets very flustered, and cant follow her notes. She ad-libs, and finishes. They go outside, and Paul tells her he wants to talk, which is a switch, as he never wanted to before. They both have assistants following them, and they find an opening in the schedules, so the two can meet for dinner. After the dinner, they decide to walk home together and talk. It begins to rain, and he apologizes profusely for sleeping with someone else. Before they can resolve anything, they arrive at the address of her clients home, where she is scheduled for a showing. She looks up, and he is on the terrace in the rain, with no umbrella. Then he moves forward, and falls over the balcony to the ground, dead, with a knife in his back. The killer is behind him, and has a gun in his hand. He clearly sees them staring up at him, and they run, and escape. They are now witnesses to the murder. The police come and tell them the man killed was an international arms dealer. The go home, each to their own place, with a police guard.The next morning, the killer sees a store window with a large version of the New Yorker magazine, and sees Meryl Morgan on it; now he knows her name and where she works. The killer comes to Meryls apartment, disguised as a cop, and shoots the guard outside her door. She screams, and opens the door when she hears the gunshot, see the killer, and then slams the door and locks it. He shoots the lock and breaks sown the door, as Meryl climbs out on the balcony. She is safe, and the real police come, and so does Paul. The police tell them that he is a professional killer and wont stop coming after them, so they have to go into hiding in the Witness Relocation Program, until he is caught. They both balk at this, but eventually realize they have no choice. They board a private jet, and take off. Once in the air, the police tell them they are going into hiding in Wyoming. Their cover will be that Meryl is the cousin of Marshall Clay Wheeler, and visiting from Chicago. Meryl explains that they are separated, and dont ant to go into hiding together. The police say that for now, they have to, but they will arrange different spots for them at a permanent site. For a week or so, they will be together in Wyoming.They land in Cody, Wyoming at night, and are met at the airport by Clay (Sam Elliott). He wears a cowboy hat, and has a white moustache, and looks very much like a cowboy. Meryl is chilly, and he agrees to take them into town to the Bargain Barn for some shopping. It is like a Costco, and Meryl and Paul are amazed at the quantities and low prices. Paul is interested in the aerosol cans of bear repellant he sees, and buys several. At the store, they meet Clays wife, Emma (Mary Steenburgen), who is buying a rifle.Clay tells them they are in seclusion at his place which is several miles outside the small town of Ray. They need to stay on the grounds there, as much as possible, to not raise suspicions. There is just one spare bedroom, and Meryl lets Paul have it. They are told that the computer and phone both have a code on them, so they cannot use either unless they have permission and the code. She sleeps on the sofa.Back in NYC, the killer comes to Meryls real estate office, saying he is in the market to buy a property and wants to work with Meryl. Meryls assistant, Jackie (Elisabeth Moss), tells him she is away, but will call when she returns. When she isnt looking, he puts a bug under the desk, and slips one into her purse.In the morning, Emma has made a big western breakfast, which Paul eats, but Emma wont, as shes a vegetarian. They decide to go for a run. Meryl worries that they might never get back to New York, and Paul tells her to just imagine this is a much-needed vacation. When they return to the cabin, a bear comes near Paul and they panic. Meryl is in the cabin, and reads the information from the bear repellant to Paul. It says to speak in a soft monotone to the bear, and avoid eye contact. When this doesnt work, he runs toward the cabin; Meryl sprays the bear repellant out the door, and gets Paul in the eyes before she can spray the bear. The bear leaves, and Pauls eyes are sore. They take him to the doctor in town. When Paul and the doctor are in the examination room, Meryl sneaks the phone and leaves a message for the adoption agency she was using in New York, and says that circumstances have changed and she might not be in a position to adopt.She tells this to Paul late, and he is surprised she did this after they were separated. She explains that when they couldnt conceive, she was disappointed he didnt mention adopting. Paul responds by reminding her it was originally his idea to adopt. But, she got so crazed and wired with all the infertility treatments and hormone injections, and that he couldnt talk to her anymore. They talked about his affair-he cheated once, when he was in LA on a business trip. He apologizes again.The assistants in New York are going crazy trying to run things at both offices without either Paul or Meryl. As they talk, Jackie tells Pauls assistant, Adam (Jesse Liebman) that she had a call from the adoption agency, and she has Meryls phone number from her. The killer gets the phone number from his bugging devices, and starts to find the Morgans in Wyoming.While in Wyoming, Clay and Emma take the Morgans horseback riding, and then for shooting lessons. Meryl does well shooting a tin can, but Paul misses, and bruises his shoulder from the rifle. When they go back to the doctor again, he asks Meryl for her assistance in selling his mothers home. She looks at a photo of the house, makes some suggestions and agrees to help. She spiffs up the exterior and talks it up to a prospective buyer, and Paul is impressed. He asks her out on a date, and she says yes.He takes her to the only restaurant in town, Annettes. They have a nice dinner, and when they leave, they see the doctor, and he tells them they can take his truck and drive themselves home. They get lost, and pull over to talk about their relationship. Then they head home. Next morning, they go jogging again, and run through town. By now, they know several people who greet them as they run past. They enjoy a round of Bingo with the town folk, and win $15.At night, Meryl calls Paul outside; he goes and she shows him all the stars as it is a clear night. They are amazed at how many they can see compared to New York. Meryl quotes Shakespeare, and reminds him it was her wedding vows to him. She asks if he remembers his, and he recites them perfectly. She asks what came next and he couldnt remember. She says, You may kiss the bride and he says Thats right, and then she repeats.You may KISS THE BRIDE and he finally understands, and kisses her out under the starry sky. He carries her inside, and back to his room.In the morning, they receive the information that they have 2 days until their permanent, separate sites are ready, and they still havent caught the killer. They talk some more, about wanting children and if they'd be good parents.Meryl needs to talk to Emma but she isnt there, so she talks to Clay. She tells him that while they were separated, she slept with one man, and wants to know what to do. While milking the cows, he says to be gentle, and she agrees. At the Rodeo Dance that night, she tells Paul she doesnt want to go to a separate site; she wants to go with him. He is thrilled, and then she tells him she slept with another man. He leaves the dance, hurt. She follows and tries to explain, but he is too upset to listen, and tells her she probably just did it for revenge. This makes Meryl furious, and they argue.In the morning, they are both crabby and mad, and decide not to go to the Rodeo with Emma and Clay. They both pack since they are supposed to leave for the new location, and Paul decided to keep the bear repellant spray in his pocket. The killer drives up, and when he walks across the property, the bear comes after him. He takes a shot, and Meryl and Paul hear it. They look and recognize the killer. They lock the doors and Meryl tries to shoot him. The rifle only held 2 shots, so when it was empty, they run out the back and get on the horse and ride off. They ride to the Rodeo, and look for Clay for help. He is announcing the event, and the killer is looking for them in the stands. They grab the 2-person steer costume, and Meryl is the head and Paul is the back end. She sneezes and the real bull hears, and charges. It knocks them down and Paul is worried Meryl was hurt, but shes ok. He chases after the killer and tries to spray his face with bear repellant, but mistakenly sprays his own face. The killer ahs his gun on Paul, but the Emma, and many townsfolk also surround them with their guns, and then Clay flings a horseshoe at the killer, hitting him in the head. He is arrested and taken away. Meryl tells Paul that she can't believe he risked his life for her and that she trusts him and loves and forgives him and they kiss.Six months later, we see Meryl and Paul getting off a plane in New York, and they are carrying a tiny Chinese baby, which they have just adopted. They take the baby to their new apartment, and decide to name her Rae, after the city in Wyoming, but with a different spelling. Meryl holds Rae up to see the beautiful view and turns, and we see she is visibly pregnant. Paul remarks, that there isnt a more beautiful view, as he looks at his wife and daughter. Then he says he hopes the next baby comes out Chinese, too, and they smile.

Tags: entertaining, murder

Review:
I've seen it just a hour ago and for me it gave me what I was hoping to receive: after a tiring working day, traveling around in the rain, and not having time to lunch, I've stopped for dinner and between the Morgans and Mandela (Invictus) I went and bought a ticket for that romantic comedy.
This film is about a separated couple who has to move to a small town in the countryside, after witnessing a murder.I thought "Did You Hear About the Morgans" was funny!
OK, it might not have you rolling on the floor but it definitely had enough funny moments to make it enjoyable.Unlike most 'comedies' these days the film wasn't crude, and had no bimbos in bikinis, so maybe some of the reviewers here just aren't used to decent, family friendly wit.
Obviously you pretty much know where the story is going to go, but I actually felt like they swerved a lot of the obvious clichés they could have used.In summary, I'm baffled as to how this has such a low score on here, especially compared to other films, and my partner and I both found it funny, engaging, touching, and would definitely watch it a few more times.
I don't know why there are so many negative reviews for "Did you hear about the Morgans?" My wife and I just came back from watching it with a theater full of people and I would say almost everyone enjoyed the movie.
PS Don't get me wrong, I was not dragged into theater by a woman, I'm a shallow movie goer and always a fun of Hugh Grant comedies(I felt Two Weeks Notice was very funny), I volunteered to go alone..
Hugh Grant hasn't given out a performance much like this since "Nine Months," and Sarah Jessica Parker has never been better.
I'm really not sure why this film is getting such a bad rating, it's a good night out.I'm no expert on films and how the actors should be doing their bit, I'm just a girl who likes to see movies and this is one I recommend to anyone after a harmless night out and isn't interested in those films that make a mockery of all the blockbusters or the shoot'em up action thrillers.
"And the skies are not cloudy all day." Home on the Range They're not cloudy in Ray, Wyoming, where the people are straight out of central feel-good-about-the-country casting, and a separated married couple from the big city can learn a thing or two about down-home love.
Certainly not a thriller movie, there is something pleasant about this romantic comedy, both from its charismatic actors Hugh Grant as Paul Morgan and Sarah Jessica Parker as Meryl Morgan and the leisurely pace set by Sam Elliott and Mary Steenburgen, both actors born to swagger in jeans and holstered guns.
The acting is shocking, the extras vomit out the lines as if they have never spoken before, and Hugh Grant and Sarah Parker seem as if they are reading the script for the first time.
Nothing about it works.We got about 2/3 of the way through it before we had to leave, it was too embarrassing to watch, covering our faces repeatedly in sheer exasperation at how bad the acting was, and the predictable story meant there was no need to stay for the end, so we went to HMV and bought some good DVDs for less than the price of the cinema ticket.If you are a middle aged woman that is not an avid cinema goer or film watcher, so has no concept of acting or how shabby this film is compared to so many other, this film is probably for you, as they seemed to be the only people laughing when we were in there..
Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant are the couple who reconstruct their love on the foundation of a violent death, and their acting is even more abysmal than expected.
Did You Hear About The Morgans stars Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker, two actors I take joy in watching so I was looking forward to this movie, while fearing the worst after not exactly hearing good things.Of course the premise is preposterous- an estranged couple witnesses a murder after an attempt at a reconciliatory dinner in New York City, and is shipped off to a remote part of Wyoming as part of a witness protection program.
while i wouldn't call this a side splittingly hilarious comedy,i did chuckles two or three times at a few of the lines.i expected it to be much worse than it was.but it's actually watchable.and i don' think it's anywhere near as bad as the current rating (4/10)suggests.sure,there were a lot of jokes that came off flat or awkward.and the story could have been a bit more fleshed out.but Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker(who i usually can't stand)are both likable enough.but i really liked Mary Steenburgen as Emma Wheeler.she was perfect for that character.in my opinion,she stole the show in her scenes.Sam Elliot as Clay Wheeler,on the other hand,did nothing for me.overall the movie was entertaining.for me,Did You hear About the Morgans is a 6/10.
Writer/director Marc Lawrence adds another gem to his string of rom-com hits (Music & Lyrics, Two Weeks Notice, Miss Congeniality) by banking on Hugh Grant for the third time and on the star power of yet another popular female lead, Sarah Jessica Parker.Paul (Grant) and Meryl Morgan (Parker) are a separated couple from New York who jointly witness a murder and are abruptly whisked to a small town as part of a witness-protection program.
While the US Marshalls look for separate relocation sites for them, Wyoming sheriff Clay Wheeler (Sam Elliott) and his wife Emma (Mary Steenburgen) temporarily take them into their home, where the stereotypically career-driven city slickers learn how to rough it up and are forced to work on their issues.What makes this movie work, despite the formulaic plot, is how it is able to inject pockets of realism even in its light moments without jarring the overall happy mood.
a movie that tells the story of a highly successful couple Meryl (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) have almost-perfect lives-except for one notable failure - their dissolving marriage but their lives are about to change when they witness a murder that makes them enter into the witness protection program moving them from NY to a tiny town in Wyoming.
It is a romantic comedy with some good jokes, specially from Hugh Grant and a story way to predictable.
The Cast is mainly carried out by Hugh Grant, and expert in this kind of movies, and Sarah Jessica Parker that I felt her like she was in the role of Carrie Bradshaw.
This film is just another leaf in the wind, barely noticeable and I have wasted almost 2 hours of my life forcing my eyes to witness this mediocre attempt at cinematography.Yes it has Hugh Grant (And Sarah Jessica Parker for fans of that series that I can't even remember).
Hugh Grant plays his usual bumbling English guy trying to patch things up with his high-flying wife (Sarah Jessica Parker), when both are forced into hiding after witnessing a murder.
Sarah Jessica Parker can be annoying with her head and hands all a flutter and Hugh Grant always looks like he's constipated and it would have been a better movie with two other lead stars.
Marc Lawrence makes it a triple whammy in romantic comedies with actor Hugh Grant, but while Two Weeks Notice and Music and Lyrics which I unabashedly enjoyed, Did You Hear About the Morgans is too contrived and too formulaic for it to work wonders, and in some ways mirror the recent The Proposal about a neurotic woman who finds herself like a fish out of water once relocated away from the big city and into a small town, this time in Ray, Wyoming as part of a witness protection programme.I still can't quite fathom the appeal of Sarah Jessica Parker that she's really not cut out for anything remotely romantic out of her highly successful Sex and the City series, and minor plastic surgery aside, one does get tired with the often neurotic and whiny roles that she plays.
Comedy wise, there are a few one liners which are funny enough, but those belong to Sam Elliot, whose small town sheriff easily steals the show from Hugh Grant, who plays a man quite similar to his real life escapades, cheating on his companion and then finding himself working ten times harder to get back to her good books.
Marc Lawrence really needs to break out of Hugh's shadow and believe that he can make movies without him, or come up with a better pairing since his brand of formula has seen better days with Sandra Bullock and Drew Barrymore, who bring much more to the table than Sarah Jessica Parker.
Unfortunately, the moments were interspersed with so much "we're too cool for school" jingoism against anyone who isn't a New Yorker for my tolerance levels for Hugh Grant's charm.The fact that the first credits revealed that it was filmed in New Mexico instead of Wyoming (both gorgeous states, neither deserving of the constant wise cracks about how "rural" they are) was the final break of the fourth wall for me after so much pointless, predictable rot.I don't genuinely expect a lot from a rom com, although I DO like a bit of actual romance, blended with a few funny lines (and there were...
there no chemistry between Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh grant , and not particularly very good acting either ..
bu Hugh grant seems a bit all over the place in film and would say the story line isn't particularly very good either..
While there are new ideas within this film you can't help but think with the talent involved a more original idea wouldn't have been better.Full credit though to Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker for making the most of the script they were given.
Sarah Jessica Parker was essentially her Sex & The City character with a bad wig (what was up with her hair?) And Hugh Grant, jeez he was terrible, barely present for most of the movie, just wooden, seemingly bored and going through his usual bumbling Hughism's.
Yup I was rooting for the bear.I often wonder why the studios even bother making these kind of movies, I mean they must know going in its going to be awful, its not like the script was original or even funny.In this fish out of water scenario a New York couple relocate to Wyoming under the witness protection program after seeing a murder.
A well to do New York couple who have separated enter a witness protection programme after witnessing a murder.Lawyer Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) and real estate agent Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker) are located to a small town in Wyoming under the protection of husband and wife who are sheriff and deputy (Sam Elliot and Mary Steenburgen.)They have trouble adjusting to life in a small town with their country ways such as an inept attempts at rifle shooting, chopping wood, riding a horse and an unfortunate encounter with a bear.However in due course they settle down, helped by the fact how cheap clothes are in warehouse stores and help the locals out with their problems by using their professional skills but the bad guys are still searching for them.The film is mildly diversionary fish out of water movie with Hugh Grant still doing his bumbling English guy act trying to mend things with Sarah Jessica Parker.
This is a pretty formulaic comedy where some city slickers are moved out into the wilderness to live with the honest small town folk and get a perspective on what horrible people they are.I don't mind formulaic (what's wrong with using something that has been tested to work?) and this movie is propped up with a heavy hitting cast.unfortunately the devil is in the detail.
There performances weren't great either, I know this is only a rom-com but it did feel like they were hanging around for their pay cheques.The laughs are there but are not particularly strong and when the plot crawls up to its inevitable ludicrous climax I didn't care one way or another.Not terrible but there are thousands more movies out there much better than this one..
"Did You Hear About the Morgans?" is a pleasant comedy from 2009 starring Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, and Mary Steenburgen.I had only heard dreadful things about this film.
Seeing it on DVD, it wasn't bad at all.Parker and Grant are a New York City couple who are separated, mainly due to the fact that Mr. Morgan slept with somebody else while married.
I have to say I found Hugh Grant funny, Steenburgen and Elliott wonderful, and Sarah Jessica Parker was fine.
New York City lawyer Hugh Grant (as Paul Morgan) would like to mend fences with boutique realtor wife Sara Jessica Parker (as Meryl), but she wants a divorce.
You get what you pay for: Hugh Grant pulling faces and acting clumsy, Sarah Jessica Parker sleeping in a wonder bra and hating life away from the city, Sam Elliott keeping his cool and throwing horseshoes at the mob.
In this film, Hugh Grant is paired with Sarah Jessica Parker in perhaps the worst pairing since Vanilla Ice and Naomi Campbell in Cool As Ice. They play a fashionably separated, New York City power couple, who are forced into witness protection after witnessing a murder.
Hugh Grant is usually funny, but in this film, every attempt at humor is snuffed out by Sarah Jessica Parker, who has no idea what she's doing.
The premise with Witness Protection had promise but failed to deliver a decent script.When a movie is billed as a romantic comedy and we do not care for the subject couple, why bother to put it on film without making the necessary changes?
Unfortunately, the separated couple in this rom-com decided to go to the authorities instead.While on a reconciliation date, Paul and Meryl Morgan (Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker) bare witness to a homicide.
As the killer remains on the lose the Morgans are forced into the witness relocation program, where they must adjust their big city attitudes to fit in with the values of small town Wyoming.The film marks the third collaboration between Hugh Grant and director Marc Lawrence, a partnership which keeps producing worse and worse product.
Hugh Grant cannot act period - he is, as many have commentated no different in any vehicle he stars in and it is a bit like watching strictly come dancing where the professionals dance energetically around the static celebrity trying to distract the audience from their lack of mobility.In this case however, there was not much dancing around from the professionals either - was it my imagination or did the make up department get a new delivery of Botox - Sarah Jessica Parker was dead pan for the entire film and her hands however where totally scary - they looked like she could easily have joined a construction crew and hammer in a few nails.
But the end result was a fairly tame and forgettable result.The story is about separated couple Paul Morgan (played by Hugh Grant) and Meryl Morgan (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) who witness a murder and have to go into witness protection in a very unfamiliar environment far away from their familiar environment of New York.
Being flown to Wyoming, the couple are left in the custody of Clay Wheeler (played by Sam Elliott) and Emma Wheeler (played by Mary Steenburgen).Storywise, then "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" did have some potential here and there, but it ultimately failed because there was no chemistry between Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker, and most scenes between them came off as horribly forced and unnatural.It was actually the performance of Sam Elliott and Mary Steenburgen that carried the movie.For a romantic comedy, then "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" was a movie that came and passed without leaving a mark anywhere..
Paul (Hugh Grant) and Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker) are an estranged NY couple.
But that's not the worst about the movie, nor the predictability of the whole thing.As another reviewer stated, you know what you are getting yourself into by watching a romantic comedy.
Hugh Grant Sarah Jessica Parker When it comes to entertainment, few things are worse than the anticipation of a good movie, building up your hopes and expectations, getting the popcorn or M&M's to hand, switching on the surround sound and sitting down to watch something thats a huge let down.
Fortunately, as this film stars Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker I had no such expectations and therefore took it to be the rubbish it was.
They just don't work well enough here.Hugh Grant & Sarah Jessica Parker talk too darned much in this script & very often talk about nothing.
Sarah Jessica Parker isn't the least bit effective or convincing, Hugh Grant comes off a little better, but with a trite and ridiculous screenplay even he can't do anything with it.
Didn't Hugh Grant say he hated most people but loved Sarah Jessica Parker?
While I don't, in any way, consider it a masterpiece, and although I won't see it again, I definitely do think that it deserves a better rating than a 1/10.I was pleased to see Sarah Jessica Parker in a romantic comedy, and I think she was delightful in this film.
He was very wooden, stiff and like previous reviewers have said, he had no chemistry with Sarah Jessica Parker what so ever.The murder plot was basically just a lame attempt to try to make a typical romantic comedy film a little bit more interesting, but unfortunately, it failed miserably.
Hugh Grant delivers good comedy when needed and Sam Elliot and Mary Steenbergen deliver some comic lines as well.