Review: Music and Lyrics

UK release date: 9th February

Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore fail to hit any high notes in this humdrum romantic comedy from writer/director Marc Lawrence (Two Weeks Notice).

Grant plays washed-up 1980s pop idol Alex Fletcher, who’s competing for the chance to contribute a song to hot young star Cora Corman’s (Haley Bennett) new album. Sadly, lyrics aren’t his forte, but his “plant carer” Sophie (Barrymore) proves to have a way with words.

After a chucklesome opening that sees Grant doing polite pelvic thrusts à la George Michael in his Wham! heyday, Lawrence runs out of funny ideas. Grant gets his share of snappy one-liners, but his incessant glibness becomes so tiresome that you’ll begin to tune him out. His budding relationship with Barrymore is largely unconvincing and it doesn’t help matters that she’s in constant danger of being upstaged by the vegetation surrounding her. And frankly, the less said about the Stock Aitken Waterman-inspired soundtrack, the better.

Radio Times rating:

**

UK cinema certificate PG

Review by Stella Papamichael