Wednesday 6 January 2010

Did You Hear About The Morgans?


Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker are an estranged New York couple who are placed in witness protection after they witness a murder in Did You Hear About The Morgans? They are relocated from Manhattan to a remote town in Wyoming in predictable fish out water, romantic comedy style.

Grant is from the John Wayne/Cary Grant school of acting. He basically appears in films as himself, a curious combination of debonair bumbling indecision. Initially this was fun but in later films the novelty of this behaviour has worn thin. Parker is a clotheshorse whose acting at times has been better than she has been given credit for but who has the misfortune of a whiney manner. The pair display their familiar characteristics in this film of stereotypes.

Grant looks particularly stiff and uncomfortable in early scenes before relaxing as the film progresses. In this it is possible that he is working to the Director's instructions but it doesn't make his character any more attractive early on.

Actually the film is not as bad as I was expecting. The first quarter doesn't really fire but it does have it's occasional humorous moments thereafter.

3 comments:

  1. Hugh Grant has had his moments, but I agree with your assessment that he usually just plays himself. Sometimes that's ok, sometimes it's just annoying. I wish he would (or some director would let him) stretch a bit more as an actor. I'd like to think he has it in him. Perhaps he doesn't. Easy money's something I probably wouldn't turn down, either.

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  2. This just looked so bad . Maybe I will see it on netflix!

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  3. Sorry for Hugh, but he comes across as insipid. As for our Carrie Bradshaw, she seems to be doing it all wrong. Someone even asked "Does she really read the scripts deposited on her desk?"

    Unless there is 10+ Sex and the City movies, SJP will remain the dysfunctional gal we grew to like on screen, which is not bad at all. :)

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