DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? (English / PG 13)
Genre: Comedy / Romance
Release Date: 31 December 2009
Distributor: Sony Pictures (Columbia)
Director: Marc Lawrence
Producers: Martin Shafer, Liz Glotzer
Writer: Marc Lawrence
Casts: Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliot, Mary Steenburgen, Elizabeth Moss
Plot: Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) and Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker) are a high-powered New York couple that have become estranged as a result of prioritising professional and social success ahead of their marriage. During a failed attempt at reconciliation, they have the misfortune of witnessing a murder and are unexpectedly forced to move to a small town in Wyoming in a witness protection program.
THE VERDICT
Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant star in a romantic comedy that goes far too awkward. They played Paul Morgan and Meryl Morgan, an estranged couple hit rock by the failure of their marriage. While both enjoyed a successful career, their marriage is in danger because of their failed-in-making-children plan and lack of commitment and faith for each other. While many expecting something magical can be worked out by the two A-lister, the film fails to launch.
The plot of the story is very simple. Marriage failed and divorce seems imminent but Paul Morgan is desperate to stitch his marriage back together. While the couple had a simple dinner and desperately looking for a reconciliation, they witness a murder and the authority puts them under a witness protection program because the killer is still roaming free. Transported to a rural life in Wyoming, the two must commit to learn to adapt for the new life and learn to accept each other again.
Let me start by saying that this rom-com failed to impress me. Why? The script sounds so flat that every time the couple starts to make a joke, it bombed. The writer's attempt to provide good slapstick humor is not bold enough, in fact the whole story becomes lame because of their New York's insider jokes that does not penetrates into the audience's skull and some what an uninspiring story. Although it may be funny but you can see from their facial expression that everything is just awkward and woody.
I have to say Marc Lawrence wrote a piece of script that has a potential theme about estranged couple has to live together and settle their problems together. However, the script is not strong enough and does not seem to possess the feel good factor to cheer the movie up. Romantic plays out too little and the comedy is nowhere high either. There are not enough of sexy, charming, rapid-firing banter and spirit as well. The script is badly written and the audience has to go through a less satisfying and slow pace of pretty much a predictable movie in the end.
Parker and Grant also do not seem to have a coherent on-screen chemistry and certainly dampen the movie's environment to a cold chilly setting. Their persona projected wildly and aimlessly. Grant with his usual thick British accents and Parker with her unusual star quality, the bubbly lines fail to form a strong performance. Perhaps only Sam Elliot and Mary Steenburgen's supporting roles gave the movie little impact. Michael Kelly's supposed dangerous assassin goes flat and non-sense.
If you want to see Parker and Grant together, this may be the movie for you. If you have some spare time to be killed, this is the movie for you. But if you are looking for a good quality romantic comedy, Did You Hear About The Morgans? is totally not the one for you. Just like the scene where Hugh Grant has to speak in monotone to get rid of the Grizzly, the story pace shares a similar tone, uninspiring, boring and not funny at all.
THE RATING:
Story - 1.0 stars
Casts - 2.0 stars
Cinematography - 2.5 stars
Effects - 2.5 stars
OVERALL - 2.0 stars
GREEN-TEA-O-METER: 7.0
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