2 stars
Hugh Grant plays Alex, a “happy has-been” from the old band “PoP!” which we learn from the very first scene of this movie, was a 80’s boyband that’s specialty was cheesy, sentimental love songs. In present day 2007, however, and Alex is now a man in his thirties or forties, and has not written anything new since PoP! and one failed attempt at a solo album. His main income seems to come from singing his old PoP! songs at high school reunions and theme parks. In a possible attempt to revitalized his career, he jumps at a chance to sing with the new and upcoming star “Cora” a blonde airhead, who’s overly sexualized dancing scenes provide some of the most awkward moments in the movie. Cora asks Alex to write a new song for her new cd, which would no doubt revitalize his career, but is a daunting task for Alex as he hasn’t written anything in years. He casts about for a lyricist, and accidently meets Sophie (Drew Barrymore) a eccentric talker, who appears to have a talent for rhyming. Sophie’s appearance is the important part of the movie, as the plot is not, despite it’s earlier establishing scenes, about Alex’s career or being able to write a song for Cora. The movie is a romantic comedy. Barrymore and Grant, unfortunately, do not have the chemistry that would make them plausible on-screen lovers. They are undoubtedly pleasant and good people, yet I since no actual attraction or passion, or for that matter wit pass between them. Barrymore is of the two the most convincing in her portrayal of love, while Grant seems to alternate between fatherly and friendly cheer-up. The couple discover they have something in common, as they both have been put in the shadow of others who have surpassed them. With both of them, this part of the plot remains unconvincing. The inevitably fight that the two have seems also bizarre, as Alex’s claims about Sophie are quite obviously untrue, although in this scene Barrymore does a good job of seeming hurt. Overall, the movie is two stars as the plot is not much of anything, and it’s ending is obvious, and no real danger or sadness is ever really felt. The lovers are not impassioned or even in love to any convincing extent, but the actors are good at portraying genuinely nice people, and the songs they write are okay.