2010. Dir: Roger Michell. Starring: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson and Jeff Goldblum. ●●●○○
Formulas are meant to work, they are meant to work because the plot is tried and tested with a million other examples in the relevant genre. They work because we, as an audience, often don't want much more than the formula. In Morning Glory writer Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) and director Roger Michell (Notting Hill) both know that formula and work very hard to follow it. They should have tried something different. The formula restricts them so much that the great chemistry and situations are buried under the relentless forward motion of the plot contrivances.
Of course the plot does not have an original twist in it's 107 minute running time. Rachel McAdams, as perky as possible, plays a workaholic TV producer who gets the enviable job of trying to save Daybreak (no, not that one) the ailing breakfast news programme on IBS (couldn't thay have found better initial than that). Recognising things have to change shesacks the pervy male anchor and replaces him with grumpy high-minded journo Harrison Ford. In the meantime she's in the early stages of a relationship with current affairs producer Patrick Wilson.
Does the show get to the magic share that will stop Jeff Goldblum's exec cancelling it? Will Ford and co-anchor Diane Keaton put away their differences and work together as a team? Will Wilson and McAdams find a way to co-exist with the demands of their high pressure jobs? We know the answers to these - they all fit within the formula.
On the plus side, other than the bleeding obvious throughline of the movie, just about everything work fine. The comic element works well throughout with some choice one-liners from the older cast and the occasional bout of slapstick, the romance seems a little tagged on but both McAdams and Wilson are beautiful people and you can't help hoping it will be OK for them in the long run, although frankly I have my doubts. The audience that were hoping for Broadcast News level bite at the dumbing down of hard journalism shouldn't be too disappointted as the thesis seems to me to suggest that - in Breakfast anyway - the big story should be able to rub shoulders with culture.
The cast all put in fine work, with Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford particulary proving what great comedic performers they are; she's all ditzy and charming, he's deadpan with solid timing.
For a change I'd like to suggest how this film could have been significantly better. Instead of showing the arc of the characters over several months I believe we could have followed behind the scenes during one morning show, from the pre-production meeting to the final credits. I think the same beats could've been hit, and the emotional storyline for the characters who learn might have had a better chance of translating with the audience if it were a single day of getting there. The jokes would also have had more time to develop. Any Hollywood producers who agree just give me a call and we can discuss Morning Glory 2.
Overall the film was pleasant enough viewing in spite of it's straitjacket. I fully expect this to be the best romantic comedy I see this year.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Morning Glory
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Diane Keaton
Happy Birthday to
Diane Keaton
64 today
I hope she enjoys her day. Well, now that's out of the way the day before yesterday I included Morning Glory among my top twenty films to look forward to in 2010, starring the aforementioned Ms Keaton. Within 24 hours Alex in Movieland declared "I suspect this one will flop. like every other Diane Keaton movie of the last 6 years...".
I coughed out my coffee and was about to write a strongly worded defence, but before so I thought I'd better check my facts. In the last 6 years Diane has made 5 features.
2005 The Family Stone 43rd highest grossing film in US cinemas that year with $60.1m (further $2.1m in UK) entered at number 3 in the BO charts that week behind King Kong and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Not a flop (but hardly a ringing endorsement).
2007 Because I Said So 63rd highest grossing film in US cinemas that year with $42.7m (further $2.0m in the UK) entered at number 2 in BO charts that week. Less successful, but still a reasonable income.
2007-8 Mama's Boy and Smother, which appear to have the same story line, both go straight to DVD. Unless you're in Mexico where they are inexplicable popular.
2008 Mad Money 115th highest grossing film in US cinemas that year with $20.7m (not released in the UK) entered at number 6. Crikey - that's a big flop!
If we take this (admittedly very small) sample we can extrapolate the following trend.
2010 Morning Glory 147th highest grossing film in US cinemas this year with -$0.5m (!) (taking anything up to $1.8m if it opens in the UK) enters the US box office at number 7. Now that would be a flop!!!
Sunday, 3 January 2010
20 for 2010 - Morning Glory
As we move up the list to number 15 we are met by Morning Glory.
I am rather hopeful that this will be a modern take on a screwball comedy, with Harrison Ford playing a News Anchor who's quits do to the pre-ponderance of gossip on his own channel and moves to a local show.
With any luck they'll be lots of bitchiness on screen between Ford and Diane Keaton as his co-anchor, and hopefully even a love blossoming story with their producer Rachel MacAdams and Patrick Wilson. There's even Jeff Goldblum in the cast which guarantees a few "hmm, let the punchline sink in moments".
Of course all of this is pure conjecture. We know nothing about this movie but a very loose plot description and the casting. We do know that director Roger Michell and writer Aline Brosh McKenna both have good form in the rom-com sector (Notting Hill and The Devil Wears Prada respectively), so with that sort of talent on board we could be on to a good thing.
