Morning Glory (2010)

Morning Glory

So somewhere in Morning Glory is a good movie, an entertaining comedy about a dying morning TV show called "Daybreak," which is last in the ratings and desperate for attention.  The two hosts of the show, Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) and Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) hate each other, and the hyperactive new producer Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) is frantically trying to keep the castle from crumbling.  I saw that movie, and I thought it was pretty good and gave me some good belly laughs.  Unfortunately, that movie is only about fifteen minutes long and is buried inside the real Morning Glory, which is a big ol' bust.

I'm not sure where to start.  I suppose the first problem is that Morning Glory makes the hyperactive producer the focus of the story.  This type of character is funny as support, but as a main character, the anxiousness gets old, and fast.  And that is doubly disappointing because the producer is played by Rachel McAdams.  For those of you who don't know me, I am a big McAdams fan: her luminous presence stole the show in Wedding Crashers, she propelled Red Eye into a genuine suspenseful winner, and she even made The Notebook watchable!  But she is misused here, and the movie's cardinal sin is that they found a way to make McAdams unlikable.  She is over anxious, talks way too much and way too fast and is constantly running around around like a headless chicken.  Characters in the film are annoyed by her spunk, and I think audiences were, too.  I know I was.  The movie is then further burdened by a gratuitous romance for Becky, a cliched subplot that adds nothing to the story and just drags on the movie like an anchor.

Why the romantic subplot is even in the film is beyond me.  It's certainly not the relationship that director Roger Michell (Notting Hill) is interested in.  He is more concerned with Becky's struggles with Pomeroy, a grumpy news anchor who cares more about hard journalism than the frothy junk morning shows often churn out.  This is a bit more interesting, and does provide some nice moments for McAdams and Ford.  But it still feels emotionally tacked on.  And it is certainly not where the fun is.

The fun is in those broadcasts.  Colleen Peck is game and willing to do anything to get the ratings up, whether it is kissing frogs or fighting someone in a sumo wrestler costume.  She hates the arrogant Pomeroy who takes everything so seriously.  At a certain point, they just stop the pretense and start openly insulting each other on the air - all while smiling professionally for the cameras.  This is fantastic stuff, and Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton play wonderfully off each other.  This is where the movie should have focused.  That would have been one great romantic comedy.

Instead, Keaton is wasted.  She is given some good material in the first half and then just disappears as an afterthought in the second half of the film.  That an actress of her talent and stature is relegated to an afterthought is deeply annoying to me.  Keaton isn't alone.  Patrick Wilson is wasted.  Jeff Goldblum is wasted.  When it comes down to it, even Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams are wasted.  The whole movie is a missed opportunity and that is a big bummer for me.  This could have been, should have been terrific.

MVP: I guess I will give it to Harrison Ford.  People have generally ragged on Ford's comedies, and with movies like Six Days, Seven Nights, I can understand why.  But I think that has more to do with his choices as opposed to his ability.  Ford is a solid comedian, with a good sense of timing and a great growl.  When a joke works in Morning Glory, it is generally because Ford is involved somehow.  Granted, he was given the opportunity to shine, while the script pushes Keaton out of the spotlight, but I don't think that should take away from his performance.  For one thing, his deadpan reactions to the insanity happening on 'Daybreak' are priceless.  He deserves the MVP for those double takes alone!

TRIVIA: Don Roy King, plays the director of "Daybreak," and Robert Caminiti, who plays the assistant director, are the real director and assistant director on Saturday Night Live.  I thought that was kind of nifty.

BEST LINE: Mike Pomeroy: "I won't say the word, 'fluffy.'"

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes

I had some doubts about Sherlock Holmes. The casting seemed solid, as did the design work, but the trailers left me a bit...confused. Were they turning Holmes into an action hero? Was director Guy Ritchie forcing Holmes into his usual British crime template (i.e. Ritchie's Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels)? Was this another summer blockbuster experiment that was doomed for mediocrity?

Somewhat surprisingly, I have to say that I was pretty impressed with what this confusing team brought to the table. Overall, Sherlock Holmes is a bit hit-or-miss, but it hits far more often.

A new case is afoot. A recently executed villain named Lord Blackwater (Mark Strong) has been seen lurking about London and some very important people are turning up dead. The case is of particular interest to Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) because they were the duo that captured Blackwater to begin with. While toiling away on the case, Holmes also has to contend with an old lover/enemy/con artist Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) who seems to be butting in on this case a bit too much.

I want to start the review by defending Sherlock Holmes against some unfair criticism. A lot of people have complained about changes that have been made to the characters to try and make them cooler for the new generation. I will admit, there is some of that going on, but not as much as people might think. Robert Downey Jr. is not the Sherlock Holmes we've come to know and love in popular culture, the rude and brilliant gentleman with the pipe and the deerstalker hat. But that image does not necessarily 100% correspond with the books, either. If I had to guess, I would say this image began with Basil Rathbone's portrayal in the 1930s, though I am not sure about that. But I do know that the cliche image is not from the original stories. Also, Holmes in the book may not be an action hero, but he sure knows how to fight. He practices martial arts and sometimes participates in matches. And Dr. Watson is not the cute, cuddly and slightly rotund sidekick who waddles around from case to case. On the contrary, he is a war hero and knows how to kick some butt.

But to be honest, accuracy shouldn't be that big of a deal anyway. Anyone expecting Hollywood to release a version that is 100% accurate to the books in slow-paced, Masterpiece Theatre-style production were deluding themselves. This is Hollywood Holmes, a roller coaster popcorn flick and for the most part, it really is an enjoyable ride. Director Guy Ritchie delivers an exciting film, with great technical prowess and top notch production design. Robert Downey, Jr. is terrific as Holmes, delivering a careful medley of wit, brilliance, cruelty and charisma. Jude Law is fantastic as Watson, a man who is attracted to these crazy cases despite his better judgement. The two have superb chemistry and the film does a fine job of juxtaposing Holmes' brilliant messiness with Watson's prim and proper military orderliness. The best moments of the film are easily when Holmes and Watson are riffing off each other; forget about the story. It's not really needed!

Especially since the story itself is a bit of a weakness. While Mark Strong is excellent as always, I found his master plan to be a bit hokey and the climax of the film definitely goes too far over the top. McAdams, meanwhile, is just an okay female lead. She handles the charm and the action well enough, but I had trouble believing her as the greatest con artist of all time. She needed a bit more edge.

I do also want to make a special mention of the score. I am generally tired of composer Hans Zimmer. His music and that of his collaborators has become cookie cutter and one size fits all, no matter what the genre. And I am tired of hearing The Rock and Crimson Tide when I am trying to watch a movie about gladiators or pirates. But what is most frustrating is that when Zimmer wants to be, he is not just good, he's REALLY good. And the biggest surprise about Sherlock Holmes is that the Zimmer I like came to play. This is an awkward, quirky, and lively score, and it certainly features his best main theme in a decade. Go Zimmer! This is the composer I want working more often.

Tangent over. All in all, Sherlock Holmes is a flawed but entertaining film. And it was a blockbuster film that for once deserved its massive box office because it delivered sharp and energetic entertainment. Despite its problems, I am excited to see where the franchise goes.

BEST LINE:

Mrs. Hudson: "Oh, he's killed the dog. Again."

MVP:

I can say with confidence that Jude Law is the best Watson I have ever seen. He blows other Watsons out of the water. But ultimately, this movie succeeds or fails on the back of Robert Downey, Jr. He once again finds a way to make an unappealing character (let's face it, Holmes is a bit of a tool) and makes him sympathetic and entertaining. If Downey's quirkiness had not worked, then the whole movie would have fallen apart. So ultimately, the decision is an easy one. The MVP must go to Robert Downey, Jr.

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Best Art Direction, Best Original Score

TRIVIA:

When Robert Downey, Jr. was researching the role, he didn't just read the original stories. He also went straight to the 1980s series to study the late Jeremy Brett, generally considered the best Holmes in cinematic history.