We watched the new Hugh Grant/Drew Barrymore rom/com last night, and overall enjoyed it. Hugh Grant is basically playing a variation on the same role he plays in every romantic comedy--quick-witted, well-dressed, slightly neurotic, mostly charming--and is quite funny at it. As a former member of an 80s pop band who has been recruited by a Britney Spears-esque pop star to compose her new song, Grant gets to do a fair amount of singing and dancing, which is pretty funny. Drew Barrymore plays the plant-watering lyricist--yes, a plant-watering lyricist--who falls in love with Grant while helping him compose the song.
While the movie has its charms--the music, in particular, is almost annoyingly infectious--it does fall victim to some of the unfortunate cliches that plague today's romantic comedies. For example, Barrymore's ex-boyfriend, whom she has successfully avoided for months, just happens to be dining at the same restaurant as she and Grant right after she reveals how horrible he was to her. I also get really bugged when the two main characters sleep together the moment they share their first kiss, like that is just the obvious next step right after a kiss (doesn't anyone "neck" anymore?).
That said, it's a breezy 90 minute time-waster, and cute enough to justify one viewing. You probably won't remember the movie's story longer than 2 hours, but its songs will likely lull you to sleep (and still be in your head in the morning...). **1/2 (out of four)
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