I must admit that some of Hugh Grant’s movies haven’t quite hit the spot for me but Music and Lyrics had the audience and myself laughing all the way through. The lines were quick witted so you’ll need to be on your toes to get the full effect.
Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is a washed up pop star from a well known group of the 1980's which were renowned for their hip gyrating dancing. He is performing around the club scene and at special events with a following of women in their 30's. Alex's enterprising manager lands him a chance to write a hit single for current pop diva Cora (new comer Haley Bennett) because she thinks he has retro appeal. The only catch in the arrangement with Cora is he only has until the end of the week to come up with something that has alluded him for a long time (a hit song!). Alex makes the logical choice and hires a songwriter to write the lyrics while he does what he is good at and adds a pleasing melody. They are in the middle of putting it together when Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore) enters the scene as the plant maintenance lady. While going about her duties she suddenly pipes up with a catchy phrase to the lyrics that are being composed. Alex ditches the hired songwriter and teams up with Sophie to tap into her natural talent. Together they work out the hit song and at the same time meet the real challenges that lie within their lives. For Alex the challenge was to work from his heart and not be so consumed with achieving success that the result was mediocre. For Sophie the challenge was to overcome and refute the negative statements that were spoken over her by a previous boyfriend who said she had no orginal talent and merely drew on the work of others. Both personal challenges are overcome in this "happy ever after" movie.
A good romantic comedy send up of the ageing pop star. Entertainment value 7 out of 10 (the critics gave favourable if cautious approval) and $38,673,388 from the US box office alone is not too bad a result.
Rating: 7 / 10
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Good German - John Grant
This movie is set in Berlin just prior to the Potsdam Peace Conference immediately after World War 2. The genre of the film is that of the American private detective action drama. The makers of the film used the techniques of 40 years ago to give the look and feel of the time. Filmed in black and white with a square screen presentation, you really could imagine yourself in an old cinema with the tobacco smoke rising up from the audience (perish the thought these days). The set is the ruins of old Berlin, overflowing with lost innocence and without hope.
The story centres around the work done by German scientists to produce missiles and the race to take these scientists to the United States at all costs. The issue is seen as of monumental significance to the security of the West especially when set against the news of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Contrasting the issue of national security is a moral dilemma, one of the scientists needed by the West was a war criminal, in fact a mass murderer. Predictably officials in high places are persuaded to relinquish moral obligation for national priorities and a conspiracy is formed which aims at eliminating those who would make public the real character of the scientist sought by the West. The scientists former aide an SS officer is in hiding shielded by his wife. Their intent is to regain some of the integrity of the German people by disclosing what they know. Personally the wife, Lena Brandt (played by Cate Blanchett), also seeks to somehow absolve herself from betraying twelve Jews to the Gestapo.
The storyline follows the activities of a US Army correspondent Jake Geismer, played by George Clooney, who coincidently (or is it) has previously been Lena Brandt's lover. Jake is manipulated along the way by his driver Tully until Tully is murdered. The film closes as Lena's husband is discovered and killed by the US army and she is able herself to emigrate to America. In a final dramatic scene Lena confesses to Jake her complicity in betraying the twelve Jews.
An excellent portrayal of the time and as usual a first rate performances by Cate Blanchett (Lena Brandt), George Clooney(Jake Geismer) and Tobey Maguire (Tully, Jake's driver). Not everybody's taste (the critics gave it a panning) and certainly you have to appreciate the black and white presentation, for me an 8 out of 10 - well worth watching but unnecessarily explicit in parts.
Rating: 8/10
The story centres around the work done by German scientists to produce missiles and the race to take these scientists to the United States at all costs. The issue is seen as of monumental significance to the security of the West especially when set against the news of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Contrasting the issue of national security is a moral dilemma, one of the scientists needed by the West was a war criminal, in fact a mass murderer. Predictably officials in high places are persuaded to relinquish moral obligation for national priorities and a conspiracy is formed which aims at eliminating those who would make public the real character of the scientist sought by the West. The scientists former aide an SS officer is in hiding shielded by his wife. Their intent is to regain some of the integrity of the German people by disclosing what they know. Personally the wife, Lena Brandt (played by Cate Blanchett), also seeks to somehow absolve herself from betraying twelve Jews to the Gestapo.
The storyline follows the activities of a US Army correspondent Jake Geismer, played by George Clooney, who coincidently (or is it) has previously been Lena Brandt's lover. Jake is manipulated along the way by his driver Tully until Tully is murdered. The film closes as Lena's husband is discovered and killed by the US army and she is able herself to emigrate to America. In a final dramatic scene Lena confesses to Jake her complicity in betraying the twelve Jews.
An excellent portrayal of the time and as usual a first rate performances by Cate Blanchett (Lena Brandt), George Clooney(Jake Geismer) and Tobey Maguire (Tully, Jake's driver). Not everybody's taste (the critics gave it a panning) and certainly you have to appreciate the black and white presentation, for me an 8 out of 10 - well worth watching but unnecessarily explicit in parts.
Rating: 8/10
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