Music and Lyrics
Music and Lyrics is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Marc Lawrence. It focuses on the relationship that evolves between a former pop music idol and an aspiring writer as they struggle to compose a song for a reigning pop diva.
Plot
Alex Fletcher is a washed-up former pop star who is attempting to revive his dwindling career by hitching his name to the rising star of Cora Corman, a young megastar who has asked him to write a song titled "A Way Back Into Love". Alex is reluctant to compose again after two decades, but his caring but professional manager tells him that his career is doomed if he doesn't. During an unsuccessful attempt to compose the song in collaboration with a "very hip, very edgy" lyricist, Alex discovers that the woman who is temporarily watering his plants, Sophie Fisher, has a gift for writing lyrics. Sophie, a former creative writing student reeling from a disastrous romance with her former English professor Sloan Cates who "forgot" to mention he had a fiancée, initially refuses. Alex cajoles her into helping him by using a few quickly-chosen phrases she has given him as the basis for a song. Over the next few days, they grow closer while writing the words and music together, much to the delight of Sophie's older sister Rhonda, who happens to be a huge fan of Alex.Barely meeting the deadline Cora has set for the song's delivery, Alex and Sophie are thrilled when she accepts it; however, at a celebratory dinner with Alex's manager Chris Sophie is mortified to encounter Sloan. She confronts him but finds herself tongue-tied in his presence, and Alex's own attempts to defend her result in a scuffle. Nursing their wounds back at Alex's apartment, Alex and Sophie fall into an unplanned romantic encounter.
Sophie is later horrified when she finds Cora plans to record a sexually confident interpretation of "A Way Back into Love," complete with an Indian vibe which she feels clashes with the insecurity expressed in the song's lyrics. She is determined to convince Cora to abandon the arrangement, but Alex vetoes her efforts for fear he will lose Cora's goodwill. In the ensuing argument, he admits Cora's version is awful but contends accepting it as the cost of doing business. Sophie leaves Alex when she gets upset by his willingness to demean his talent and his claim that Sloan was right about her personality.
Sophie, intending to start a new life in Florida, reluctantly attends the opening of Cora's new tour at Madison Square Garden, at which Alex and Cora will debut "Way Back Into Love". Upon hearing that Alex is singing a new song "written by Alex Fletcher", Sophie is upset to believe that Alex is stealing credit for her work; however, the song Alex sings is called "Don't Write Me Off", his plea for Sophie to give him another chance. A touched Sophie finds Alex backstage and he confesses to having successfully convinced Cora to drop the risqué version of "A Way Back into Love" in an attempt to win Sophie back. He and Cora perform the tune as he and Sophie intended it to be sung.
The end of the movie reveals that the song becomes a hit for Cora and Alex, the film version of Sloan's novel flops with critics and moviegoers, PoP! reunites for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, after which their lead singer Colin Thompson winds up having his hip replaced after years of dancing, and Alex and Sophie go on to become successful partners, both in songwriting and romance.
Cast
- Hugh Grant as Alex Fletcher
- Drew Barrymore as Sophie Fisher
- Brad Garrett as Chris Riley
- Kristen Johnston as Rhonda Fisher
- Haley Bennett as Cora Corman
- Campbell Scott as Sloan Cates
- Scott Porter as Colin Thompson
- Matthew Morrison as Ray, Cora's Manager
- Zak Orth as David Newbert
- Aasif Mandvi as Khan
- Jason Antoon as Greg Antonsky
Reception
Critical response
Music and Lyrics received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a rating of 62%, based on 172 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Music & Lyrics is a light and pleasant romantic comedy that succeeds because of the considerable charm of its co-stars. The music segments featuring Hugh Grant are worth the price of admission." On Metacritic the film has score of 59 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".A.O. Scott of The New York Times called the film "the type of modern Hollywood production that aspires to nothing more than the competent dispensing of mild amusement and easy emotion. The writer and director, Marc Lawrence... shows some imagination as he parodies the music-video styles of various eras, and he contrives a bit of novelty in making the movie's central couple creative partners as well as potential lovers... Mr. Grant is at his best when he allows a hard glint of caddish narcissism to peek through his easy flirtatiousness, something he did in About a Boy and American Dreamz. There is not quite enough of that here, nor enough of the anarchic loopiness that Ms. Barrymore brought to roles opposite Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates."
Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle observed, "Writer-director Marc Lawrence makes a talk-heavy variety of romantic comedy that not everyone likes - Miss Congeniality, Two Weeks Notice, Forces of Nature - but he does it well. Moreover, Music and Lyrics has virtues its predecessors lack. Scenes play out longer than in most films, and conversations have a chance to evolve. Also, because much of the film places the protagonists in rooms together, working for extended periods, there are an unusual number of two-person scenes, giving the actors the chance to show their charm, work off each other and develop the nuances of interaction... Lawrence's take on pop music success is exactly right, satiric without being absurdist, and therefore a prize worth the effort."
Todd McCarthy of Variety said "Sitcommy in structure and execution, this very mainstream romance... offers few surprises. But its pep, agreeable performances and appealing central conceit will profitably put this Warner Bros. Valentine's Day romantic comedy over with women and couples seeking a nice diversion... Writer-director Marc Lawrence... makes everything about three times more obvious than it needs to be; as a director, he needs to edit himself better as a writer... But there's energy here, and the actors feed on it."
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film two out of five stars, calling it a "very moderate romcom" and adding, "Grant and Barrymore make a reasonable odd couple, and both have charm, but this never comes to life."
Philip French of The Observer said, "Grant has the occasional good line, but the film limps along like someone trying to tap dance in flippers."
Box office
The film opened on February 9, 2007 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and ranked #1 at the box office, grossing £1.93 million in its first weekend. It was released on 2,955 screens in the United States and Canada on February 14 and grossed $13,623,630 on its opening weekend, ranking #4 at the box office behind Ghost Rider, Bridge to Terabithia, and Norbit. It eventually grossed $50,572,589 in the US and Canada and $95,323,833 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $145,896,422.Soundtrack
The with several songs performed by Grant reached #5 on the Billboard Top Soundtracks Chart and #63 on the Billboard 200.Martin Fry of pop band ABC served as Grant's vocal coach for the movie. The album also reached #93 on the Australian Albums Chart.