Synopsis: A hotshot television producer is set the challenge of reviving a struggling morning show program, despite the constant feuding of its high-profile anchors.
Release Date: November 10, 2010 MPAA Rating: PG-13
Genre(s): Comedy,
Film Review
Production
When Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) is unexpectedly let go from her local news station she is in desperate need of a job; not only to cover the bills but also to keep her sanity. Becky is a workaholic who has separation anxiety issues from her Blackberry and cannot maintain a conversation on a date without work somehow getting in the way. As luck would have it, or an ill-fated circumstance, she lands a job as Executive Producer of the lowest rated morning news show on Network television, Daybreak. Faced with the challenges of running a low-performing show, as well as juggling a new found romance with a fellow Producer (Patrick Wilson as Adam Bennett), she has her two anchors to deal with, Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) and Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton). Becky may have landed her dream job but the day-to-day of trying to figure out how to make this sad excuse for a morning show a hit with viewers makes for a steady stream of comedic misadventures. Her solution consists mostly of taking segments to the extreme while working off of the complete hatred the co-anchors feel for each other.
What makes Morning Glory ultimately work despite some flaws in the romance development area, is the relationship between Becky and Mike. Mike is a veteran news man who has one every award possible and who sees himself solely as a real journalist. Being hired to work on Daybreak is only a contractual glitch and therefore he is anything but easy going about well, anything. The struggle between Mike and Becky is a constant butting of heads that leads to many a comedic moment for the viewer. The sentimental parts of this relationship build up slowly over time but it is obvious they are meant for a strong bond by film’s end. As for Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton), she is greatly underused in the grander scope of the narrative but her key scenes with both Becky and Mike keep her important, if not a tad forgettable. Morning Glory is a movie that dives fully into the workaholic nature that lies inside all of us, and how pride can be one’s worst enemy. Rachel McAdams is charming, Harrison Ford at his crankiest best, and a great team of supporting actor’s keeps everything running smoothly from start to finish. Best of all, it shows us how there are more important things than work, or the next best thing for your career. Sometimes you need to put the Blackberry or Smartphone down and choose life and love – or in this film’s case, hide it in the refrigerator.
Chemistry
A man and a woman do not have to be lovers on screen to have great chemistry. Nor does the film need to call for them to become romantically involved. Such is the case in Morning GloryCast and Crew
