Movie Review Life With Mikey

Life With Mikey (1993) 

Directed by James Lapine

Written by Marc Lawrence 

Starring Michael J. Fox, Christina Vidal, Nathan Lane, Cyndi Lauper 

Release Date June 4th, 1993 

Published June 6th, 1993 

Michael J. Fox is a movie star. That's both a factual statement and an opinion that I can back up with evidence from his 1993 starring role in Life With Mikey. This is an objectively terrible movie. It has no third act. The film repeats the same comic beats over and over again. It's sloppy and lacking in conflict. And yet, I do not hate this movie. On top of being objectively not good, Life With Mikey is somehow a breezy watch that lands a few big laughs. It's wildly watchable and that is ONLY due to the star presence of Michael J. Fox. Only an actor as charming and likable as Michael J. Fox can make you forget you are watching a terrible movie. 

In Life with Mikey, Michael J. Fox stars as world class failure, Mike Chapman. A former child star, famous for his TV hi-jinks as TV's Mikey, Mike is a lonely bachelor and screw-up whose life is made possible by his past fame and the benevolence of his brother and business partner, Ed, played by Nathan Lane. Together, Ed and Mike run a child talent agency. Well, Ed runs the business, Mike shows up late and nearly costs the business its biggest client, the so-called 'Cereal King,' Barry Corman (David Krumholz). Ed is constantly putting out Mikey's many fires. 

The plot of Life with Mikey, such as it is, kicks off when a 12 year old girl steals Mike's wallet. Angie Vega (Christina Vidal) is a well practiced young pick-up artist capable of turning on the charm or the waterworks when she gets caught picking a pocket. Witnessing Angie try and talk her way out of being caught stealing a wallet, Mike is convinced that Angie would make an incredible actress. After helping her escape with a few wallets in her bag, including Mike's, Mike convinces Angie to give acting a try. She agrees and lands the job at her very first audition. 

This is what I was talking about when I mentioned that there is no conflict in Life with Mikey. She gets the first job she goes for. She is great at being a spokesperson for a cookie company. The company makes money. Things are good. A conflict seems to arise when the cookie company becomes irrationally angry over not knowing that Angie's dad is still alive. She had claimed that her father was dead. Her father, played in a cameo by Ruben Blades, instead of being upset that his daughter is spending time, including staying in the home, of a complete stranger, proceeds to thank Mike for getting his daughter into acting and taking good care of her. 

Yeah, by all evidence, Mike is a decent guy who does nice things for this littler girl. But, she's also a child stranger who does have a family, a deeply unfortunate and dysfunctional family, but a family nevertheless. It's bizarre how normal the movie thinks it is for a child to just start living with a single adult man she barely knows. And then, the movie has her father, a recovering addict, take this information in stride and thank this stranger for caring for his daughter. Yeah, this plot is just nothing but red flags that the makers of Life with Mikey present with zero comment or observation. 

Problematic barely begins to cover this plot. And yet, I willfully pushed past this very obvious problem with this movie because Michael J. Fox is so charming. He's Michael J. Fox, he's so warm and likable. He's playing a slob and a smoker in Life with Mikey and I didn't buy him as either a smoker or a slob but it didn't matter, I just really enjoy watching Michael J. Fox banter with a street smart little kid. It's adorable and their chemistry is terrific. They have conflicting personalities and their clashes in style are really the only tension in this mostly tension free comedy. 

Full length review at Geeks.Media 

Movie Review: Did You Hear About the Morgan's?

Did You Hear About The Morgans? (2009) 

Directed by Marc Lawrence 

Written by Marc Lawrence

Starring Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, Elisabeth Moss

Release Date December 18th, 2009

Published December 18th, 2009

Hugh Grant's usual charm combines with Sarah Jessica Parker doing a variation on her Sex and the City persona to craft an overly familiar romantic comedy in the uninspired “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” Directed by Marc Lawrence, this witless fish out of water story invites more scorn than it deserves as it limps to its conclusion.

The Morgans, Meryl (Parker) and Paul (Hugh Grant), split up several months ago. Paul cheated while on a business trip and Meryl rightly gave him the boot. Paul, despite his one time indiscretion, wants desperately to get his wife back or, at the very least, have dinner with her. When Meryl finally relents the two have an exceptionally awkward dinner followed by a walk in the rain that seems only to divide them further.

Unfortunately for both Morgans the walk ends with them witnessing a murder and, having got an up close look at the killer, they are now prime witnesses in a major murder case. How major? The feds want the Morgans in witness relocation. Over their repeated objections the Morgans are soon on a plane for Ray Wyoming a town that would comprise about two blocks of New York City.

The Morgans are welcomed by their new protectors, the town Sheriff Clay (Sam Elliott) and his deputy and wife Emma (Mary Steenburgen). Let the fish out of water fun commence! If by fun you mean listening to Meryl complain about everything that is not New York and watching Paul attempt to charm a grizzly bear into not eating him.

”Did You Hear About the Morgans?” was a bad movie from the moment that writer-director Marc Lawrence chose the hoary conceit that is witness protection. The ‘been there-done that’ factor of witness protection comedies is off the chart. Only the least inventive of filmmakers would attempt to plumb these depths. Then again, Marc Lawrence did write the script for both Miss Congeniality movies.

I could sit here and take potshots at “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” all day, that would be easy. The fact is, however, that even with the ancient plot device the film is somewhat pleasant in tone and Hugh Grant can still bring it even in the weakest, most familiar of roles. Yes, he could play Paul in his sleep and launch the same self-deprecating jibes but you will laugh at them.

You won't laugh loud, long or all that much but you will laugh and smile a few times during “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” Grant is a star whose ability to poke fun at himself seems an endless well of material. That said, the whole of “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” remains stale, predictable and not worth the price of a theater ticket.

Movie Review Music and Lyrics

Music and Lyrics (2007) 

Directed by Marc Lawrence 

Written by Marc Lawrence 

Starring Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Brad Garrett, Campbell Scott, Haley Bennett, Matthew Morrison

Release Date February 14th, 2007 

Published February 14th, 2007 

The biggest stars of the romantic comedy genre at this moment are Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. Grant has starred in some of the highest grossing romantic comedies of all time and some of the most critically acclaimed including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones' Diary. Drew Barrymore is a master of crowd pleasing romance from films like The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Fever Pitch.

Bringing them together in Music and Lyrics, director Marc Lawrence never had a moment's worry about chemistry or comedy. His true achievement was not simply falling back on his lovable stars, putting them together in a smart, funny send up of the music industry and pop culture.

Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) has been. With his band 'POP' he became a huge star in the 1980's. However, when his co-lead singer left and became a huge solo star, Alex was left to live off his past glory. Now making a living off state fair tours, high school reunions and a standing gig at Knott's Berry Farm, Alex gets one last chance at the big time.

A pop star named Cora Corman (Haley Bennett), bigger than Britney and Christina combined, according to Alex's manager Chris (Brad Garrett), was a huge fan of Alex's band and wanted him to write a duet for them to sing together. Unfortunately, Alex hasn't written a song since his disastrous solo record years earlier. Lucky for him, his plant girl Sophie (Drew Barrymore) just happens to be pretty good with words.

Overhearing Alex working on the song, Sophie begins to offer a few words and after some prodding from Alex she becomes his lyricist. Together they write the song but when the pop star offers her thoughts will Alex compromise their hard work for the sake of his fame?

Director Marc Lawrence, the creator of TV's Family Ties, brings a solid professionalism to the crafting of Music and Lyrics. The story unfolds with little fat on the edges and a clear eyed purpose in the storytelling. Of course, Lawrence's most important contribution is helping to cast Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, a can't miss romantic comedy duo.

The film is very smart about music and the industry of cool surrounding it. Young Haley Bennett skirts the edge of parody with her Cora Corman character. The character could easily tip over the edge into caricature, but Bennett gives the character a little more heart than what is on the page. Great laughs are mined from the Cora character without turning into a mean spirited attack on the Britney's and Christina's of the pop world.

Music and Lyrics are too sweet and light-hearted for that kind of hard satire. The light jabs at Cora and the excesses of pop stardom are pitched to the films overall genial nature.

With his can't miss charm and deprecating wit, Hugh Grant shows once again why he is the pre-eminent male star in this genre. As Alex Fletcher Grant delivers the film's biggest laughs; zinging one liners that provide comment on the scene in front of him and biting self analysis of his highly aware character. The real surprise in Grant's performance is that he is a more than credible pop singer. Yes, Grant did all of his own singing and hip gyrating dancing in the picture and he is quite impressive.

Drew Barrymore is her usual impishly cute self. Her lovability factor continues to be off the chart. Sophie is a scattered, slightly ditzy girl with a heart of gold. As written the shy, sweet character is likable but in the person of Ms. Barrymore the lovability is through the roof. Barrymore however, does not merely trade on her cuteness, she is a terrific comedian and the perfect off kilter foil for Grant.

The music of Music and Lyrics really sell the story. Director Marc Lawrence is careful to make sure the music is authentic to the time period and the film opens with a spot on spoof of classic 80's music. The video for "Pop Goes My Heart" captures perfectly the goofiness of videos of the time from bands like Soft Cell, Flock Of Seagulls and A-Ha. In fact "Pop Goes My Heart" is really as catchy and spirited as anything those real 80's bands ever made.

Not quite as strong but equally authentic is the song that Grant and Barrymore's character's craft for the pop star. The song called "Way Back Into Love" is not a great song but it is the kind of song that might click well with a pop audience. It's easygoing and unexceptional and entirely disposable, which is basically all modern pop music has become.

That the song means something to Grant and Barrymore's characters but isn't very good, doesn't necessarily hurt the characters, it just means their musical radar is a little different than mine.

Big laughs and big love, Music and Lyrics takes great advantage of the comic and romantic talents of its two wonderful stars to craft the rare romantic comedy that delivers on the promise of a good trailer. Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant are truly the stars of this genre. She with her unending cuteness and comic timing and he with his deprecating wit and charm are a can't miss duo.

Movie Review: Two Weeks Notice

Two Weeks Notice (2002) 

Directed by Marc Lawrence

Written by Marc Lawrence 

Starring Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant, Alica Witt, Robert Klein

Release Date December 20th, 2002 

Published December 19th, 2002

Ugh! Another romantic comedy.

Though this romantic comedy is made slightly more appealing by it's stars, a pair of the genre's veteran players have provided some of its brightest moments. However, no matter how good the stars are, the genre is dying. That Hollywood thinks that all they have to do with this genre is dress it up with different stars is insulting. Two Weeks Notice is yet another formula romantic comedy, a slave to genre routine.

Sandra Bullock stars as Lucy Kelson, a legal aid lawyer with a social conscience that as we join the story has her hanging on a wrecking ball attempting to prevent it from demolishing an old building. There is a large "W" on the wrecking ball signifying the construction company's owner, George Wade, played by Hugh Grant. Wade is Grant's typically foppish ladies’ man, with a different girl everynight and no significant relationships. After George's brother and partner dress him down for yet again sleeping with company's top lawyer, George is forced to hire a lawyer with more qualifications than her ability to fill out her top.

This is when George meets Lucy as she is approaching him to oppose another of his construction jobs. George knows of Lucy from the number of run-ins she has had with his construction crews. After learning that Lucy is Harvard educated and hates him, meaning she's qualified and less likely to sleep with him, he offers her the job as the company's top lawyer. Lucy doesn't want the job, but after George promises to give her the power to kill a particular construction project in her Brooklyn neighborhood she accepts the job.

The key to making this overly familiar story work is the chemistry between the stars and snappy banter. Two Weeks Notice has a little of both but still clings to genre clichés. After Lucy quits because George is to demanding, she is asked to train her replacement June played by Alicia Witt. Of course, June has her eye on George, which leads Lucy to be jealous. George for his part does a good job of being clueless about both Lucy and June's obvious attraction to him.

For my money, star power is not nearly enough for me to recommend a movie. Do I go to a movie to see a star, certainly. There are a number of movie stars who when they are in a film I lay down my hard earned money to see them. However no matter who that Star is and how much I have enjoyed their work, no one gets a pass because of familiarity. Hugh Grant is one of those stars I pay to see but I will not give a pass to Two Weeks Notice just because I like him.

Two Weeks Notice is yet another predictable, genre slave decorated with star power to distract from the clichéd story and romance.