I never have time to go to the movies these days with my busy schedule. I usually enjoy the comfort of my home and refuse to pay the ridiculus prices at the theaters. I promised my wife I would take her to the movies when "Morning Glory" came out. My wife loves Rachel McAdams, ever since she made "The Notebook". I was expecting to be bored and asleep by the first half hour. I was surprised that I was really getting into this movie. I laughed at the poor anchorman who is put through hell to boost ratings. I also found myself enjoying Harrison Ford's character. Nobody plays a better grouch then Ford. I loved Rachel McAdam's characters spunk and refusal to give up. I'm surprised by many reviewers hating that about this character. I don't understand why everyone expects dedicated workers to be unpleasent people. I am always joking around and having a good time. I put in over 14 hours of work a day and seldom get enough sleep. I work 7 days a week sometimes. I can relate with this character. Just because you put in a ton of hours of work doesn't mean you have to be a social outcast. If you like Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, or any of the other actors in this film. You are going to love them in this film. It is a funny film with great actors. I would watch this movie again and knowing my wife she will probably buy the dvd when it comes out.
STARRING: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, John Pankow and 50 Cent
WRITTEN BY: Aline Brosh McKenna
DIRECTED BY: Roger Michell
Rated: PG 13
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: 10 November 2010
Review Date: 28 October 2010
Becky Fuller is an absolute delight to be around. Not only is she irresistibly attractive and adorable, she's funny, smart, dedicated, and truly talented at her job, which not too many people on the planet could pull off. So why on Earth a television network would let her go is beyond her comprehension and ours. Nevertheless, she's fired from her job as executive producer, due to budget cuts. Rachel McAdams gives one of, if not thee best performance of her career as Becky, in Morning Glory.
Now that she's been let go she is desperately seeking employment elsewhere only to find dead end after dead end. Finally, she catches a break when she's hired on as executive producer for a morning show in the slumps.
She has her work cut out for her to say the least. The show is a disaster. The lead anchor is a chauvinistic creep, the network can offer only pathetic jokes for stories, and virtually no one really has a desire to be there, nor do they take their job seriously.
The person that displays this best is Colleen Peck, played by the lovely Diane Keaton. A veteran of the morning show, she wakes up every day no doubt asking herself why she is still there. Along with everyone else, Colleen cannot really see any potential in Becky, offhand.
It's evident the news cast needs immediate revamping to get their ratings up, if they are to stay on the air. Enter: Harrison Ford. Ford plays Mike Pomeroy, a television legend who has long since hung up his hat as a news reporter. His solid plans of lackadaisically waiting out the time left on his contract are interrupted when Becky is struck with the notion that Pomeroy could be precisely what the show needs.
Becky forces him out of his fantasy world and back into reality, where he must lower himself to the likes of a morning news caster. As he showed in his previous film Extraordinary Measures, when it comes to playing a bitter recluse, Ford has the act down. Together they will try to do all they can do to save this sinking show and that's where the laughs come in.
Morning Glory scored big laughs with the packed audience I shared the experience with; especially when Becky has to `up the ante' so to speak, by orchestrating some hilariously drastic interviews and broadcasts that include a feeble man screaming his brains out on a roller coaster, with a camera mounted two inches from his head. Cut to Harrison Ford's face as he watches open mouthed, out of sheer morbid curiosity and we are laughing our heads off.
Screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna knows comedy and she knows romance and she knows how to balance the two perfectly in an artistic melody. She's shown this before in 27 Dresses, The Laws of Attraction and Three to Tango. Morning Glory isn't a rom-com by any means, but it has a little romance nestled in there for good measure. Patrick Wilson has a small part as the office hunk and he is charming and likeable without bogging the story or the comedy down with heavy romance.
Director Roger Michell who's brought us such gems as Changing Lanes and Notting Hill, has delivered another one. He lets great actors do great acting and he brings us to a world that I found fascinating and that I haven't seen too much of in movies, which is: what it takes to produce a live television broadcast. Not sure it's a venture I'd sprint to the head of the line to work in personally; but I certainly enjoyed watching humorous and believable movie-people at each other's throats in it for nearly two hours. You will too.Not many movies have been made focusing on network shows being made, even fewer still about network news. Perhaps the most well known was BROADCAST NEWS, a stand out movie that makes many best of list time and time again. While that movie focused on network news, I don't believe any film has chosen morning news programming until now. MORNING GLORY gives us a glimpse of that world in perhaps an off kilter way.
Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) is an up and coming morning show producer in New Jersey just waiting for her big break. The day she thinks she's getting a promotion her world turns upside down. Instead her position is being condensed into another and the budget doesn't allow for two people. She's lost her job.
With her mother recommending that she give up her dream, Becky sets out to prove her wrong. A number of ignored resumes later Becky gets a call from IBS and their morning show, Daybreak. The station is one of those small networks with no budgets and no hits. Daybreak falls behind every network competitor they have. Executive Jerry Barnes (Jeff Goldblum) gives Becky the chance to turn it all around and to make the show something different.
What Becky first discovers is that she's inherited a complete mess. One reporter who seems a bit dim, a weatherman who wants to do a story on wind vanes, an ex-Miss Arizona past her prime named Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton), an anchor with a foot fetish and a staff that tosses questions to her in rapid fire succession. Day one finds Becky taking the reins, answering all questions and firing the anchor. Now to get things rolling she simply has to find a new anchor. With no money and no budget. Better still would be using someone already under contract to IBS.
Becky finds her man in the form of famed news journalist Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford). Pomeroy is a prize winning reporter currently doing bits for a news program that doesn't appreciate his past. Idolized by Becky, she sees her chance when she examines his contract and discovers a loophole that will result in his joining her show. But he doesn't go willingly.
Instead Pomeroy does everything in his power to disrupt the morning news program he's been recruited for. Pomeroy is a bit pompous and feels the morning news show is below him. While Colleen is more than willing to do any story presented her, Pomeroy snubs any and all stories lobbed his way. Instead he simply reads the news in the most monotone voice possible and ignores the fluff pieces that Colleen does with relish.
When Becky gets the word from Jerry that she's taken the show to the lowest ratings it's ever had and the show will be canceled in 6 weeks, she tosses caution to the wind and presents a more forceful producer than she did in the past. Her first act is to take the weatherman who was simply reporting on a new roller coaster and strap him in with a camera sending out his reactions over the air. This results in one of the funniest items in the movie but also angers Pomeroy.
As Pomeroy and Becky go head to head, battling every step of the way, she gets coaching from her new boyfriend, one of the men behind the networks weekly news program. Adam Bennett (Patrick Wilson) has a past with Pomeroy and a nickname I can't repeat here. He informs her that Pomeroy is the third worst human being in the world. But through his remarks Becky just may find a way to get Pomeroy on board and save the show. She has just 6 weeks to take it from the bottom of the heap and increase the ratings by 1.5 %. Can she do it?
The movie moves along at a frantic pace and you may find yourself clutching the remote just to take it back a moment or two when you miss something. It does offer some hilarious moments along the way and you get the sense of family that develops among the staff of Daybreak. That's one of the things that brings a certain amount of charm to the whole film.
The one troubling piece revolves around Ford as Pomeroy. Played incredibly straight faced and with more than enough bitterness to go around, Ford's portrayal of the newsman reduced to the morning slot shows a reporter devoid of emotion, a man who's lost himself in his work and never returned. At times this seems like the perfect way to portray this character. But at other times he just seems mean and nasty, the chances of him truly changing unlikely. Either this one of Ford's best performances or one of his worst.
The movie doesn't offer any real depth to its characters or its story, but it is an enjoyable way to spend an evening. Its one of those guilty pleasures you watch only to know that it has little new to offer and can't be taken seriously. But its still fun. Its worth watching for the laughs and performances but won't leave you seeking a sequel.
Read Best Reviews of Morning Glory (2013) Here
This is yet another variation on a basic Hollywood formula movie a few name actors, up and down struggles followed by happy resolution, the tension between career and personal life, friends supporting each other, heartless and selfish corporate bosses, older people who still "have it", a little casual sex, and no deep message or purpose. I have to like a movie, however, that made me laugh really hard, smile a lot, and like the characters. I also found the story a good parody on TV morning variety shows. Moring Glory makes a nice "date" movie, or fluffy escape after a hard work week.Want Morning Glory (2013) Discount?
This is the kind of film that defies criticism. It's light entertainment that doesn't have a pretentious bone in its body. Consider it "Broadcast News" light. The film is balanced by Harrison Ford's curmudgeonly anchorman and Rachel McAdams buoyant executive producer complimented by Diane Keaton's chipper co-host. Ironically, Keaton could have played the McAdams part some thirty-five years ago. Ford effortlessly steals every scene he's in even if he is silently stewing over the fluffiness that surrounds him. Though not wholly original there is enough wit in the script to distinguish it from its ilk. Time will tell if this becomes a rom-com classic or a TBS staple. Regardless, it's a good way to spend a date night at home.Save 30% Off
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