"What's your Hugh IQ?" was the question posed on the AOL homepage last week. I have never considered myself a Hugh Grant aficionado, but I'm not one to back down from a movie-related challenge posed by a major Internet corporation, so I took the quiz. To my surprise, I got a perfect score, and according to the Web site, that makes me an expert.
As a newly certified authority of Hugh Grant information, I feel confident ranking his newest film among his previous works. Music and Lyrics rests comfortably above the 1999 crime against humanity Mickey Blue Eyes and far below Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Alex Fletcher (High Grant) used to be part of a successful music group in the '80s called "Pop!" but now he makes his living performing at reunions and theme parks. Alex is approached by the wildly popular teen sensation Cora Corman (Haley Bennett) to write a song for her upcoming album and tour.
Alex quickly accepts the job even though he is hopeless when it comes to writing lyrics. Luckily, Sophie (Drew Barrymore), the woman who waters his plants, has a way with words. At the urging of Alex's manager (Brad Garrett) and Sophie's sister (Kristen Johnston), the unlikely pair attempts to write a song that will revive Alex's career and Sophie's confidence, and maybe -- maybe -- renew their faith in love.
As you may have gathered from my completely heartfelt summery above, Music and Lyrics falls flat as a romance (get it? "Flat?"). The plot is utterly preposterous and the connection between the main characters isn't entirely believable. Similar issues plagued writer/director Marc Lawrence's last Grant picture, Two Weeks Notice. Both films star talented actors with reliable comedic chops, but they fail to deliver any warm fuzzies.
Though the romantic element is lacking, Music and Lyrics works as a comedy, for the most part. Grant and Barrymore bring their considerable wit and charm to their respective roles, handling one-liners and physical gags with ease. Grant's constant hip shaking is particularly funny, if only because of the pure awkwardness of action coming from a British man in his late 40s.
There are a number of laughs at the expense of the '80s. The music video for "Pop! Goes My Heart" borrows heavily from Wham! with hilarious results. The film also pokes fun at current pop music through Cora Corman. The starlet is a strange combination of Buddhist and sexpot, whose songs, like "Buddha's Delight," are more "I'm a Slave 4 U" than spiritual mantra.
Just like the title suggests, music is very important to this film. The actors do all their own singing. The songs are annoyingly catchy
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