Boredworkers.com

Went to catch a movie with my cousins over the Chinese New Year holidays. It’s the first movie I’ve watched in the cinemas in a long while. So long in fact that I can’t really remember the last one I watched. We were initially planning on catching The Holiday but since it was fully booked, we wound up going for Music & Lyrics instead. A good decision in my books.

Sypnosis
The romantic comedy stars Hugh Grant as a washed up 80’s pop star has been, Alex Fletcher from the fictitious group PoP. With a failed solo album and some funky old moves, the charismatic and talented musician is managed by long time manager, Chris Riley (Brad Garret of Everybody Loves Ramon fame), and reduced playing small gigs at county fairs and amusement parks. He gets a big break when reigning pop diva Cora Corman (new comer Haley Bennett) invites him to write a duet for her new album. The problem is that Alex hasn’t written in years and they want the song by the coming Friday. While he’s still good at melody, the lyrics don’t come easy.

Enter Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), his eccentric part time plant woman who has a flair with words. Having suffered a bad relationship with her ex-professor and newly famous novelist, Sloan Cates (Campbell Scott), she’s unwilling to collaborate with anyone. Over time and with some indirect fan-help in the form of Sophie’s sister, Rhonda (Kristen Johnston), Alex finally manages to convince Sophie to co-author the song with him. From there, the chemistry and romance blossoms at the piano and under it. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out the rest.

My Say
First things first, Hugh Grant can sing! I mean, really, he’s good at it. He lends his voice to most of the originals in the movie such as Pop Goes My Heart, Meaningless Kiss, Way Back Into Love - Demo (duet with Drew Barrymore), Dance With Me Tonight, Don’t Write Me Off, Way Back Into Love (duet with Haley Bennet), and Love Autopsy. Check out the movie soundtrack to get a sample.

I don’t know why but for some reason, Drew Barrymore keeps getting cast for these weepy character types with a troubled past. Call it a stereotype. That aside, there is definitely chemistry between her and Hugh Grant’s character. Awkward at times but definitely funny. I like her description of what melody and lyrics represents.

“Melody is like sex. But then once you get to know the person… that’s the lyrics. Their story, who they are underneath.”
- Music & Lyrics: Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore) rough quote -

New comer Haley Bennett is hot and can really shake that booty. References and comparisons were made by her character in the movie to Shakira. While she’s just making her movie debut, she looks vaguely familiar. I’m sure I’ve seen those eyes somewhere else before. Incidentally, she’s recording her first album. She’s good too.

The sound track is really catchy. I don’t know whether it’s a good thing or not. The melody just gets stuck in your head and continues in an endless loop. That’s pop music for you. That is how the movie was too. There are parts of the movie that just stick long after you’ve left the theatre.

For the record, I think this is a refreshing movie. A throwback to a time when pop was in and movies still required an ounce of acting skills instead of simply being pimped up with special effects. It is lighthearted, easy to digest and, more importantly, entertaining. It is what I like to term a feel good movie, like eating ice cream in the park on a cool balmy afternoon. Definitely recommended for a relaxing weekend or a date.