MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Music and Lyrics’ comes off average and typical
Although this film is a mere 96 minutes, there were numerous times when I thought, “When is this going to end?”
Hugh Grant (“American Dreamz”) plays an out-of-date ’80s pop star dripping with his usual charm and sarcasm. While performing in his usual venues of high school reunions and local carnivals, he gets a second chance at fame when he’s asked to write a song for a sexy pop vixen. Success is at his fingertips.
All he needs to grasp it is a good lyricist who can complement his gentle piano melodies. He finds a lyricist in his kooky plant lady (Drew Barrymore, “Fever Pitch”), and the two unlikely colleagues work through their idiosyncrasies to form a hit song.
With Marc Lawrence (“Two Weeks Notice”) as the writer/director, you would think his next romantic comedy would be another chipper, giggling, chick flick. But the story drags and fails to remain connective with the audience unless you happen to be an executive producer in the music industry.
There are a few moments of memorable comedy (Barrymore’s hypochondria and Grant’s subtle line delivery), but nobody seems to be trying very hard to get a good laugh out of viewers. And while Barrymore and Grant have a few fun moments of dialogue, the chemistry and development of their relationship lacks naturalness.
The writing achieves one moment of poignancy when the relationship between a song’s melody and its words is distinctly explained. But Barrymore and Grant’s relationship does little to keep us interested.
Casey T. Allen, Statesman movie critic, can be reached at caseyal@cc.usu.edu.