Music and Lyrics (2007)

Director: Marc Lawrence
Writer: Marc Lawrence
Cast: Drew Barrymore, Hugh Grant, Haley Bennett
Genre: Rom-Com

Somehow I've never even heard of Music and Lyric until I found it now, which is surprising considering Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore are the two leads of this romantic comedy. Even more surprised by that fact after watching it, because I really enjoyed it. It got charm, it's playful and while being quite predictable as most of the genre; it's a movie length of light entertaining, a whisper of the eighties as well as the star-culture of our society.

Music and Lyrics are written and directed by Marc Lawrence. Marc co-wrote Sandra Bullock's hit Miss Congeniality back in 2000, he wrote and directed Two Weeks Notice in 2002, a movie which also starred Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, and as late as last year he was back with his 3rd movie where he had sole responsibility of writing and directing. Also this time with Hugh Grant in a leading role, along Sarah Jessica Parker, in Did You Hear About the Morgans?. As I found this movie so well crafted for the genre, I'll be taking a closer look at Two Weeks Notice soon, and if I like that one as well I might even watch the latter mentioned. I really don't like SJ Parker, but Marc Lawrence might be a new rom-com favorite of mine if this movie is telling of his capability.

Drew Barrymore did as usual seem to have a lot of fun making the movie. Her character is quite amusing with her whimsy charm and unusual looks at life. While Hugh Grant does one of his more typical roles, as commonly portrayed in movies like About a Boy, Notting Hill, Love Actually and so on, it works well within the script this time. Being old enough to remember some of the eighties helps and being a pop-culture junkie probably doesn't hurt either as the movie pokes some fun into both washed-up heroes, teen stars and the common adoration of such.