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MUSIC AND LYRICS Send This Review to a Friend
As pop romantic comedies aimed at a broad audience go, “Music and Lyrics” is easy to watch and enjoy on the level of entertaining fluff. When the romance becomes more prominent than the comedy, the film falters. But Hugh Grant is amusing as a faded 1980s pop star who, wanting to regain stature, teams with the young woman who comes to care for his plants. She just happens to have a knack for writing lyrics, and together they write a song for a rock star diva.
Little of this is believable, but the film, written and directed by Marc Lawrence, keeps a knowing distance from the material with a faint jab at satire. Cora, the world-renowned singing sensation played by Haley Bennett, is as vacuous as she is imperious. At one point, she invites someone to see her roof. “It’s upstairs,” she adds.
Grant as Alex is quite funny as he moves with Elvis-like gyrations. Drew Barrymore as Sophie is bubbly and pretty. Sophie’s talent for rapidly writing successful lyrics with no previous experience probably would make any bona fide lyricist shudder. But this is ultra light stuff not to be taken even a bit seriously, especially when it begins to take itself seriously by setting up the problem of whether Alex and Sophie should stick to principles and not tailor their creations to suit Cora’s idea of what her flamboyant image should be.
“Music and Lyrics” may provide casual pleasure for those who can simply go along for the silly ride and enjoy the stars. A Warner Brothers release.
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