I have to admit, when I first started reading about this film last year, I thought “What? ANOTHER Drew Barrymore romantic comedy?” I figured I would probably leave the theater happy, as I have done with most Drew films in recent memory, but deep down I was hoping for something more—something different. Well, it turns out that “Music & Lyrics” is just that.
First you have an unlikely pairing of Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant. While I’ve enjoyed most of Hugh’s films, I had trouble picturing how their very different comedic styles would mesh. However, in this film, their odd-couple chemistry is in most cases surpassed only by Drew and Adam Sandler, and in a few scenes I found myself forgetting that she had ever shared the screen with the former SNL cast member. Hugh Grant demonstrates his usual expert wit, which blends surprisingly well with Drew Barrymore’s quirky humor.
As for the film itself, it’s a basic “boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy screws up big time, boy does something overly-climactic to win girl back” rom-com plot, with a twist. Hugh Grant (“About a Boy,” “Two Weeks Notice”) plays Alex Fletcher, former member of a fictional 80’s group called “Pop!” (don’t forget the exclamation mark, surely an homage to Wham!), now a has-been who makes a living playing at high school reunions and amusement parks. Yet, he still has a fan in Cora Corman (newcomer Haley Bennett), a Britney Spears-esque pop star who wants him to write her next hit. Problem is, he only has a week to finish it, and he hasn’t written a hit song since his group broke up fifteen years ago.
Enter Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore) who has a peculiar job as his “substitute plant-waterer,” but whose real gift lies in writing poetry and lyrics. Alex convinces Sophie to help him complete the song, and of course, romance ensues.
So what’s the twist? Much of the story is told not with words, but with music. Surprisingly good, catchy, original music. In fact, the film’s first few minutes consist of a complete 80’s-style music video for “Pop Goes My Heart,” an infectious amalgamation of pretty much every 80’s new-wave hit you can think of—and while it definitely draws laughs, it’s not a parody, as we like to forget this is what 80’s videos were REALLY LIKE. The end credits (which were unfortunately not complete at the time of our screening) are rumored to include the same video with “Pop Up Video”-style trivia blurbs. If this happens, there is sure to be more than a few people waiting in the theater until the very last credit rolls off the screen—and I’ll be one of them.
Hugh Grant actually performs all of the vocals himself (with the help of some heavy processing, of course). Haley Bennett, who is also an aspiring recording artist, performs Cora Corman’s hits “Buddha’s Delight” and “Entering Bootytown.” Even Drew Barrymore, who insists she has a terrible singing voice, does a fine job in the demo for “Way Back Into Love,” the song her character helps Alex write. The film’s soundtrack consists mostly of these original songs.
While there are a lot of laughs in “Music & Lyrics,” there’s also a good helping of romance. I’m not usually known for crying in movies, but I actually found myself tearing up a bit during a few scenes. There is one scene in particular where Alex has a few emotionally-scarring words for Sophie, and I wanted to climb through the screen and strangle him. I can’t think of many movies that prompted that sort of feeling.
This is the first Drew Barrymore film that I walked out of the theater wanting to see the film again immediately—it was that good. Director Marc Lawrence (“Miss Congeniality,” “Two Weeks Notice”) managed to take a typical romantic comedy premise and mold it into something fresh and inspiring. I’m counting the days until Valentine’s Day (an appropriately-scheduled opening, indeed) when I can take my wife to see “Music & Lyrics” and thoroughly enjoy it a second time, while chalking it up to an excellent “date night” on my part. I recommend you do the same with your significant other (or prospective significant other). Be warned, however—I guarantee you’ll be humming the hits-that-never-were of “Pop!” as you exit the theater… hopefully hand in hand with your date. – Chris Basham
Written by Chris A. Basham
Copyright 2007 A Rare Reflection
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