"Music and Lyrics" and genre hybrids

Last night, I saw the new movie "Music and Lyrics." I've wanted to see it since the first preview came out--Hugh Grant? Drew Barrymore? Singing? Yes, please. I walked into the theatre expecting a silly romantic comedy. No more, no less. I left happily surprised.

Don't get me wrong-- "Music and Lyrics" is a romantic comedy if there ever was one. But it's also more. It's a lso a clever commentary on the changing world of the music business, thus combining two really different genres--the romantic comedy and the music documentary.

Here's the story- Hugh Grant is Alex, a washed up pop star from the 80s boy band POP!. Drew Barrymore is Sophie, a young writer who just happens to stop by to water his plants. Alex has just received an offer to restart his career-by writing a hit pop song for a young pop star named Cora(a hilarious Britney Spears/Shakira imitation). The only problem? He has no lyricist. Guess who steps in to write the lyrics?

Of course, they fall in love. And of course, complications arise. Only in this movie, unlike every other romantic comedy in the history of the world, the complication isn't because of another man/woman. It's because of a moral dilemma. Cora wants to change the song andmake it something its not. Sophie knows this is a bad idea. Alex just wants to be famous again.

You can guess how this movie ends.

What makes this movie worth mentioning(besides Hugh Grants delightful dry British humor...gets me every time, haha) is the struggle for Alex to adapt to a music world that has changed in a big way since his POP! days. There is a particularly endearing scene in which he tries to learn how to dance as Cora does, showcasing how much dance has changed since the 80s. Without this aspect, I don't think the film would've been quite as enchanting.

That's what makes it so interesting I think--it stays within the confines of the romantic comedy genre, using all the conventions and limitations that define the genre, yet it also brings something incredibly new--the style of the music documentary. This is evident int he music videos featured in the film, as well as the concert scenes and "behind the scenes" feeling we get whenever Cora appears on camera.

All in all, a great movie. You should probably go see it. Now.