The nostalgia business is very hot, especially so far as all things 80s are concerned. For evidence, look no further than the recent Grammy awards ceremony where the performance by Sting and the Police got the most mileage out of an otherwise dull show. In recent years Depeche Mode, Duran Duran and Tears for Fears have all made comebacks with new discs and new tours; they were all big 80s acts and are now all trying again for that elusive spotlight. Fertile ground for comedy to be sure and it was only a matter of time before someone took advantage. Well Marc Lawrence got there first with his follow-up to Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, Music & Lyrics.
Hugh Grant plays Alex Fletcher, part of the WHAM!-like band called POP!, one of the biggest acts of the 80s. While Alex’s bandmate Colin went on to fame and fortune following the break-up, Alex has made the state fair circuit his bread and butter. But now he’s presented with the rare opportunity to write a song for, and perform a duet with, Cora Corman (Haley Bennett), who’s bigger than Britney and Christina combined. (I assume that Lawrence meant Britney at her height and not the current skinhead version… I’m just saying.) Alex is not the best lyricist in the world and the only person he says he was ever able to write with was Colin. But Alex manages to make a new connection with Sophie (Drew Barrymore), his substitute plant waterer. Naturally, a romantic hook-up ensues.
Right, so nothing terribly original here. But you know what? That’s perfectly okay because the movie is carried so easily by its two romantic leads whose ample talents within the genre show no sign of growing stale. Grant is charmingly befuddled as Alex with his prim and proper Britishness, and Barrymore does her usual kind of borderline ditz that runs off at the mouth routine, but it’s all good. Music & Lyrics is light and fun and most importantly funny as well, as being a fairly smart send-up of the trappings of fame and the pratfalls of the modern music business. The movie opens and closes with a full-length video of Pop’s greatest hit “Pop Goes My Heart”, which is a savage piece of 80s send-up that spoofs nearly everyone from A-Ha to Yes.
Music & Lyrics is a slightly above average romantic comedy that should be wholly satisfying for the audience member to become a real crowd pleaser. A more perfect Valentine’s release I can’t think of and proof that Hugh Grant still has some life in those rom-com tight pants.
