Cinema Verdict Review: Morning Glory

Morning Glory

OPENING: 11/10/2010

STUDIO: Paramount Pictures

RUN TIME: 102 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
What’s the story?

Opening Statement
If James L. Brooks’ Broadcast News was the comedy that primetime news programs deserved, then Roger Michell’s Morning Glory is the comedy that morning news programs deserve. In other words, it’s lighter, sillier, less substantial and less deserving of critical acclaim, but still entertaining to watch.

Facts of the Case
Becky (Rachel McAdams, Red Eye) is an ambitious young producer working for a successful morning news show in New Jersey. Unfortunately, network shifts beyond her control force her out of a job, and Becky begins to wonder whether her dreams of becoming one of America’s most successful producers have just gone down the drain. Fortunately, an opportunity opens up: Becky is given the opportunity to produce Daybreak, a national morning news program. It may be the lowest-rated national morning news program, but Becky is nonetheless thrilled by the opportunity. On her first day, she introduces herself to longtime morning host Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton, Annie Hall) and fires Colleen’s less-than-ambitious co-host (Ty Burrell, Modern Family).

Unfortunately, the network doesn’t have the money to hire a new host, so Becky is forced to promote from within. After doing some searching, she makes a remarkable discovery: esteemed news anchor Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford, Raiders of the Lost Ark) has two years left on his contract, but isn’t currently doing anything of note for the network. When Becky approaches Mike with an offer, he turns it down in disgust – until she reminds him that he’ll lose millions if he doesn’t play ball. Mike begrudgingly agrees to join the news team, but refuses to participate in any of the usual fluff that is Daybreak‘s bread and butter. The ratings start to drop even further, and soon the program is going to be pulled off the air entirely if Becky can’t do something to turn things around.

The two central characters of Morning Glory are locked in a debate that many in the media have fought: mindless entertainment vs. hard news. Mike Pomeroy has built an entire career on the latter; informing the public of major developments in the world and updating them on the things that really matter. Becky has immense respect for Mike’s work, but as a producer she recognizes that mindless entertainment is what brings in viewers. So if it comes down to allowing Mike to report on what’s happening in Iraq or allowing Colleen to kiss a frog on live television, the choice isn’t too difficult.

The Evidence
Morning Glory certainly falls into the category of entertainment, but it isn’t mindless. Though it finds our characters scrambling to stage stupidity of various types, the morning television world in which these characters exist feels authentic and lived-in. The film isn’t out to re-fight the battle of news vs. entertainment–it has empathy for advocates of both, but recognizes that entertainment has already won and that anyone who feels otherwise is simply treading water. On-air foolishness may boost the ratings, but it takes genuine intelligence, perseverance and creativity to continually finds ways to keep the foolishness fresh and distinctive. There’s a great deal of humor to be found in Becky’s impassioned efforts to lower the standards and raise the ratings of her morning news program, and even more humor to be found in Mike’s horrified reaction to all of this.

Daybreak‘s on-air gags may be pretty broad (especially the ones involving the poor weatherman played by Matt Malloy), but many of the laughs are of the blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em variety. Every program is a frantic rush to the finish line, as Becky and her staff scramble from one segment to the next and multi-task furiously. Sometimes, little things fall through the cracks – in one instance, a story about a sex offender is followed by a story about Jimmy Carter. The photo changes from one story to the next, but the on-screen text doesn’t, leaving inattentive viewers at home with the impression that the former President has been convicted of a horrible crime. Michell stages an onslaught of splendidly understated physical comedy as Becky flings herself across the studio, while Aline Brosh McKenna’s script offers plenty of fun screwball comedy banter. The film’s most noteworthy attribute may be its ability to find such a ceaseless stream of chuckles in the flustered rush of producing a morning show.

The cast is good to begin with, but better than expected in some ways. I don’t think I’ve ever loved McAdams quite as much as I love her in this film; she brings an infectious radiance and unexpectedly superb sense of comic timing to the central role. The movie rides on the wings of her energy, and the other characters (particularly the studio executive played by Jeff Goldblum, The Fly) seem to regard her with a blend of wonder and amusement.

The casting of Ford and Keaton is sneakily brilliant. In recent years, Keaton’s charming quirkiness has too often turned into grating excess, while Ford has frequently been accused of seeming completely disinterested in his roles. In Morning Glory, Keaton is given a character for whom absolutely nothing is too excessive, and Ford is given the character of a grumpy old man entirely disinterested in his new assignment. The casting turns weaknesses into strengths, and the actors deliver precisely what the roles demand. Keaton hasn’t been this funny in what feels like ages, while Ford refreshingly permits himself to really connect with the material. It’s a pleasure to watch these two old pros faring so well.

Alas, what could have been a sublime comedy is instead merely a pretty good one. The film’s structure is completely predictable, though not agonizingly so. Still, every time the film wanders into territory that might actually prove thought-provoking or challenging, it quickly retreats into its pleasantly familiar routine. In addition, the entire subplot involving Patrick Wilson (Watchmen) as Becky’s patient boyfriend is completely unnecessary–we never care about the relationship, as it feels like little more than a cheap attempt to add some obligatory romance to the proceedings. Wilson is a fine actor, but Morning Glory joins recent releases like The Switch and The A-Team in finding a way to waste his talents.

Closing Statement
It’s not quite on the level of Michell’s best films (Venus, Changing Lanes), but Morning Glory is smile-inducing fun. I had a good time, which is what a comedy is supposed to provide.

The Verdict
7/10