Music and Lyrics

Hugh Grant has wallowed out a nice little niche for himself within the romantic comedy genre, something people have criticised him for, a lack of variety or a repetition of the same character with bumbling sensibilities and exasperated charm. So it’s not surprising to see him involved in this latest romantic offering, only I think that he deserves a lot of credit. People may claim he takes the easy roles, but there is nothing easy about being charming, engaging and believable when it comes to both romance and comedy. There is a lot more skill involved in these films than people realise and it is no coincidence that most of the rom-com’s he has been in have been successes.

Here he plays Alex Fletcher a faded 80s pop star (from a group called Pop) who makes his living performing at theme parks and weddings, reliving the glory days and with little ambition of future success. That is until the hottest pop star on the planet arranges to meet him demanding a new song within a week and a way back in to the pop world. Alex of course is no good at the lyrics and so enter Drew Barrymore, as adorable as ever, as his rather neurotic but gifted, house keeper, who he persuades to help him write the song.

That is the set up, and if you’ve seen a few of these films before no doubt you can predict what happens, but the plot is not what makes this film work. It is entertaining. Pure and simply this is a fun and enjoyable film, Hugh Grant has a lot of fun as the ageing pop star and the nostalgic way the film looks back and pokes fun at pop fashions and conventions is refreshing. The leads connect well with each other and play off each other well, the whole concept of writing to the morning hours and exploration of the creative process is spot on and the songs are surprisingly good. In fact they are really good, genuinely decent pop songs, catchy, uplifting and memorable they are a cut above what you would expect from a film like this and as such the songs become an integral part of what makes the film work so well.

In fact it’s hard to say exactly why I liked it so much, there isn’t a great deal to distinguish it from other similar films, but the characters and story always kept me interested and by the end I had a big grin on my face. I think at the end of the day the difference is heart. This film has it by the bucket load, whether it’s for Grant’s character, pop music in general or just for creating something that other people enjoy, it really makes a change from the often soulless Hollywood products and while it may not be as pronounced as say Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous this is still a film definitely worth watching if you are a fan of the genre in general, and if not, you never know, it might surprise you!

A cheery and funny study of music, romance and the joy pop music can bring, you won’t find a less cynical film around, and would be hard pressed to find a more endearing one too. Recommended.