A trailer just came out for this new romantic comedy. Here it is.
The trailer proudly claims that it’s from the screenwriter who brought us The Devil Wears Prada and I believe it. Granted, I’ve never gotten around to seeing Devil for myself, but just consider the basic premise: A desperate young woman takes a daunting job with a superior who’s impossible to work with but is actually a sweetheart deep down inside. She’s so desperate to prove herself that she throws herself into her work with such abandon that she neglects her boyfriend and family. Presumably, she proves herself and salvages her job while getting the guy back.
Sound familiar?
Based purely on the trailer, Rachel McAdams appears adequate as this movie’s Anne Hathaway substitute. Meanwhile, Diane Keaton continues playing roles that are far beneath her talent.
As for Patrick Wilson… well, I know that actors need an occasional easy “paycheck” gig. His IMDB page is mostly occupied with some very heady roles in films like Barry Munday, Hard Candy and Little Children. He even took on a villain role in the upcoming A-Team movie. It’s quite rare nowadays to see an actor go from a big-budget hero role (Watchmen) to a big-budget villain role so soon — or vice versa — and it’s the kind of risk I’d like to see more actors take. The guy’s earned a break.
Then there’s Harrison Ford. I personally thought that his sloppy Golden Globes speech, coupled with the disastrous box office failure of Extraordinary Measures was enough to end Ford’s career once and for all. I thought he had gotten old and stopped giving a shit a long time ago. But here in this totally generic romantic comedy… I’m actually seeing some life in him. He has some comedic banter with Diane Keaton and a rapport with McAdams’ character. Whether you consider these moments to be funny or touching or boring, there’s no denying that Ford finally has a spark to him. He’s putting in some effort. What the hell is this, where did it come from and where has it been for the past twenty years?
Finally, there’s the part about this movie that perplexes me the most: It’s a Bad Robot production. That’s right, folks: J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk — creators and producers of Lost, Fringe and Alias — are exec producing this generic romantic comedy. I am confused at this move that goes totally counter to their filmographies thus far. Maybe they’re just jealous of the success their friends Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman had last year with The Proposal. I just don’t know.
Morning Glory is due in theaters this November 12.