THE CRITIC: “Morning Glory” Is As Sunny As It Sounds
Morning Glory stars Rachel McAdams as Becky Fuller, a young and passionate news producer with a can-do attitude so over-the-top that it borders on naivety. After being let go from her position at “Good Morning New Jersey,” she embarks on a relentless mission to find a new job. When she’s given the opportunity to produce the struggling national morning show “Daybreak,” she jumps at the chance, although the ratings are just about as dismal as the budget. On her first day on the job, Fuller makes the ballsy choice to fire the highly inappropriate male anchor (”Modern Family” actor Ty Burrell) and is forced to find an adequate replacement. Due to monetary restrictions, she’s forced to find a potential anchor as desperate as she is.
Enter Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford), a curmudgeonly veteran newsman known for his stoic demeanor and journalistic integrity. Although he initially scoffs at the idea of discussing fluff topics like diet trends or home decorating, he agrees to anchor “Daybreak” for the paycheck.
Morning Glory follows Fuller’s attempts to inspire Pomeroy to rise to the morning show agenda, although he refuses to stoop to the level of his ebullient co-host Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton). The rest of the film follows a predictable course: Fuller’s tenacity and hard work eventually yield positive results, while Pomeroy teaches Fuller a few life lessons that help the hotshot producer realize there’s more to life than a career.
This film is pure lighthearted fun, with a plot that plugs along and holds your attention. Rachel McAdams‘ sunny attitude is so adorable that it’s hard not to root for her to succeed at saving “Daybreak” from cancellation. Harrison Ford also shines as he flexes his rarely seen comedic muscles. His portrayal of the grumpy old man provides laughs even when the dialogue sometimes feels like morning show fluff. However, it’s a shame that the audience doesn’t get to see more of Diane Keaton, who so naturally embodies your typical middle-aged morning show talent, I’m convinced she should host the “Today Show” on Meredith Vieira’s days off.
At the risk of sounding cliche, Morning Glory succeeds because it’s an earnest “feel good” movie. More importantly, the film nails the “feel good” element without being gratuitously saccharine. Admittedly, it’s predictable, but the movie’s charm and the likability of the actors kept me entertained nonetheless.
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