Morning Glory - Pretty Darn Good For a Chick Flick

 

Morning Glory is a  fairly new (still in theaters) comedy that mostly delivers. While admittedly a "chick-flick", it is still altogether enjoyable and entertaining film. I never really found myself bored or checking my watch (phone). As a straight guy who enjoys his share of football and midget fights, I can boldly declare that I did in fact like this movie.

Rachel McAdams plays Becky Fuller, a energetic, overly-optimistic, and recently fired television producer. After being fired from a local television network, Becky begins to apply for a slew of television networks with little success. Until - that's right - until she gets a call back from a struggling (perennially in 4th or 5th place - my memory is a bit foggy) television network. After a painfully awkward interview, she gets the job and begins a long and grueling job at turning the network around or facing cancellation (that's right!). Oh, and by the way, she only has a few weeks, pretty crazy stakes, am I right? Oh, and she fired her lead anchor and replaced him with a very vain and angry Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) - I wasn't sure where to put this last line so I just threw it in here.

The acting is fine and honestly, the thing that holds this whole movie together is Harrison Ford who puts together a great performance as a continually angry and obnoxious anchor. As he explains to Becky why he won't do a segment on puppies, "I've won eight Peabodys, a Pulitzer and 16 Emmys," he scowls. "I was shot through the forearm in Bosnia, pulled Colin Powell from a burning jeep; I laid a cool washcloth on Mother Teresa's forehead during a cholera epidemic." Yes. He is that type of guy and he plays it well. Really, when the old grump is not on screen. the movie severely lacks. The other actors are fine and the plot does it's part, but honestly, the movie is all Ford here. There's even a love story thrown in here between McAdams character and what looks like a male model that writes short segments for the station, but this feels forced and unnecesarry.

So, overall, I liked it. But then again, I bet if I rented it and watched it over by myself I'm sure I would come to my senses and realize just how awful it really is. But who knows, go out and see it yourself.

I give it 3 Roger Eberts

Trailer: 

Music: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh)