Music and Lyrics

Music and Lyrics

Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Kristen Johnston, Brad Garrett, Haley Bennett

Dir. Marc Lawrence
Scr. Marc Lawrence

It’s a rare thing – a nicely crafted, genuinely romantic, funny rom-com. “No, that’s rubbish”, you might say. “They’re a dime a dozen!” you’ll cry. But, actually, you’re wrong. There hasn’t been a really good rom-com for quite some time. Since When Harry Met Sally … I would argue. Music and Lyrics, despite its soppiness and cheesy music, or perhaps because of that, is damn good.

I have to admit before going on that I am a hopeless romantic. The thought of Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore playing lovey-dovey towards each other got my heart racing and I knew I was going to like this film. But I didn’t know I was going to love it and I have so often been disappointed by rom-coms that aren’t funny and/or aren’t romantic. Many rom-coms try too hard to be something more when they would be better off sticking to the tried and tested formula of their genre.

Here it is in a nutshell: Boy meets girl. Boy and girl don’t really hit it off. Boy thinks girl is weird. Girl thinks boy is a has-been who wears pants that are too tight. Boy and girl get to know and like each other. Boy and girl go through a trying time and boy says something incredibly mean and stupid. Boy has to make grand gesture to get girl back. It works. The end.

Music and Lyrics has the formula down to a fine art. There isn’t a wasted scene or an awkward moment when the audience thinks “what the hell is going on?!” The whole sub-plot of why Drew Barrymore’s character is so strange had potential to ruin the movie and I was worried. But, instead, it is dealt with deftly and gives the movie one of its funniest scenes.

The supporting cast are superb. Brad Garrett, as the loyal manager with a big heart, is lovely. Kristen Johnston, as the older sister, is hilarious and quite a tad frightening, stealing every scene she is in. Haley Bennett gives an outstanding performance as Cora Corman, a clever parody of Brittney Spears, but with more smarts and heart than I suspect Brittney has. Also nice casting of Campbell Scott as the object of Drew’s character’s obsession – he really is an underutilised and underrated actor.

Drew herself, as Sophie Fisher, is so sweet and so kooky and so cute it almost bordered on nauseating. Almost. But she pulled it off and was funny to boot. But this film really does belong to Hugh. He plays the role of an aging 80s pop icon, Alex Fletcher (think George Michael in Wham), with relish. His comic timing is brilliant. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s dreamy and he’s a Pom. If this film starred, say, Matthew McConaughey I don’t think it would have worked even half as well. There’s something about a Brit – the self-derision, the melancholy, the dry wit – that held the film together and stopped it becoming too saccharin.

The other star of Music and Lyrics is, errr, the music and lyrics. Adam Schlesinger deftly pens tunes that stay with you long after the movie has ended. “Pop Goes My Heart”, both the song and the hilarious music video, is straight out of the 80s. “Way Back Into Love” and “Don’t Write Me Off” are unexpectedly good. I feel on less sure ground commenting on the songs written for the character of Cora Corman, but only because I’m more of a Wham fan than a Brittney fan. But I am assured they are very authentic.

I really do want to be more scathing about this film. But I just can’t. If rom-coms are not your thing, by all means stay away. And it’s not the best rom-com ever made (When Harry Met Sally … and It Happened One Night have to fight it out for that honour). But when the credits rolled, I wanted it to start all over again. That’s surely a sign of a successful film.


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Alex Fletcher: Theoretically, I could pick you up because I will be taking a cab. Sophie Fisher: I could be standing outside at 9:40 in bright orange clothes, so you wouldn't miss me... Alex Fletcher: Oh good, you'll get some road work done while you wait then.