Music and Lyrics

By Jason Tozer 

I'm hard pressed to think of a better couple for a romantic comedy than Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. They have done so many romantic comedies between them it was only a matter of time before they appeared in one together.

Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is a washed up 80s pop star given the difficult task of writing a new song for the latest Britney Spears/Shakira clone on the scene.

When Alex discovers that the girl who waters his plants, Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), has a knack for writing lyrics he gets her to help him write the song and falls for her in the process.

While the storyline for this movie is less than inspired, the casting is spot on and is what makes it worthwhile.

Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore are just as you'd expect them to be. They bring humour and chemistry to the screen, not in abundance, but definitely enough to keep everybody happy.

The supporting roles of Alex's manager and Sophie's sister are filled brilliantly by Brad Garrett and Kristen Johnson respectively. These two don't steal any scenes but add to the humour and don't bog down the flow of the movie.

With a film about song writing, I kind of hope to come away remembering at least one of the songs in it. I really expected the song Alex and Sophie wrote to be memorable.

However, all the music is forgotten the moment it ends and Sophie's inspiring lyrics are a better match for Hallmark then they are for Bob Dylan or Smokey Robinson. 

What really would have made this film a classic is if it made you want to buy a soundtrack afterwards. After all Four Weddings and A Funeral made plenty of women rush out and buy the Wet Wet Wet single ‘Love Is All Around'.

Writer director Marc Lawrence really should have sought some musical help with this film and really have Alex and Sophie write a top 40 hit.

If you are going to see this film, see it for the acting performances and not the musical ones as these seasoned veterans of the romantic comedy genres have been given a suitable, if not fantastic, platform to do what they do best.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

This review first appeared in the Queanbeyan Age