2008 Woodie Awards
Sing along with Hugh and Drew
Katie Levine '07 and Owen Larkin '07 give you a girl and a guy's
Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
by Katie Levine '07
Asst. A&E Editor
There is a formula for cheesy romantic movies, and Music and Lyrics sticks to it. I knew exactly how the love story would go before I even got to the theater, and I was right. But I was pleasantly surprised by how funny the film was. Hugh Grant plays washed-up '80s pop star Alex Fletcher, who ironically (or not so ironically) used to be a member of the hit group named PoP! The movie's opening credits run during the video for the group's hit song, "PoP! Goes My Heart." It is an obvious target, but cheap shots at corny '80s pop videos always seem to work. And it works again: Seeing Grant thrusting his hips and bopping around is priceless.
But this utterly hysterical scene then cuts to a tedious love story. Unfortunately, this dichotomy pretty much defines the entire film: Music and Lyrics fluctuates between boring love scenes and hilarious one-liners.
Fletcher is commissioned by world-famous pop star Cora Corman (who sings songs with titles like "Entering Bootytown" and "Buddha's Delight") to write her next big hit song. Seeing this as his chance to thrust himself back into the spotlight, he realizes that he needs the help of a lyricist to really make his new song work.
A few implausible plot twists later, he is matched up with wannabe writer Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), and the pair works together to write "Way Back into Love" for Cora. Brad Garrett has a small but solid role as Fletcher's manager, and Kristen Johnston is funny as Sophie's sister, a huge PoP! fan.
Since this is a romantic comedy, one would think that the love story between Grant and Barrymore would be the film's strong point. However, the relationship between the two is completely unbelievable. Her character is annoying, and although you believe that she is in love with Grant's character, there is nothing that realistically draws him to her. Their story takes the typical plot twists and there is really nothing romantic about this film at all.
Asst. A&E Editor
There is a formula for cheesy romantic movies, and Music and Lyrics sticks to it. I knew exactly how the love story would go before I even got to the theater, and I was right. But I was pleasantly surprised by how funny the film was. Hugh Grant plays washed-up '80s pop star Alex Fletcher, who ironically (or not so ironically) used to be a member of the hit group named PoP! The movie's opening credits run during the video for the group's hit song, "PoP! Goes My Heart." It is an obvious target, but cheap shots at corny '80s pop videos always seem to work. And it works again: Seeing Grant thrusting his hips and bopping around is priceless.
But this utterly hysterical scene then cuts to a tedious love story. Unfortunately, this dichotomy pretty much defines the entire film: Music and Lyrics fluctuates between boring love scenes and hilarious one-liners.
Fletcher is commissioned by world-famous pop star Cora Corman (who sings songs with titles like "Entering Bootytown" and "Buddha's Delight") to write her next big hit song. Seeing this as his chance to thrust himself back into the spotlight, he realizes that he needs the help of a lyricist to really make his new song work.
A few implausible plot twists later, he is matched up with wannabe writer Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), and the pair works together to write "Way Back into Love" for Cora. Brad Garrett has a small but solid role as Fletcher's manager, and Kristen Johnston is funny as Sophie's sister, a huge PoP! fan.
Since this is a romantic comedy, one would think that the love story between Grant and Barrymore would be the film's strong point. However, the relationship between the two is completely unbelievable. Her character is annoying, and although you believe that she is in love with Grant's character, there is nothing that realistically draws him to her. Their story takes the typical plot twists and there is really nothing romantic about this film at all.