On Tuesday I attended the premiere of Hugh Grant's latest release "The Rewrite". I've always had a soft spot for Hugh Grant. From his awkward charm in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" to his beguiling portrayal of Helen Fielding's Daniel Cleaver, Grant is my ultimate rom-com hero.
"The Rewrite" is based around Keith Michaels (Hugh Grant) who once the top of his game after writing a Golden Globe winning screenplay, but a couple of decades on and he hasn't achieved anything great since. With an exhausting cash flow and struggling for commissioners to hear him out, his agent suggests he takes a screenwriting teaching job at Binghamton University.
It's a far step away from his former glamorous LA life and his teaching skills are questionable if not totally unprofessional. He is about to throw the towel in when his affections develop for mature student Holly (Marisa Tomei).
There were some funny and indeed touching moments in "The Rewrite". I really enjoyed the character of student and "Star Wars" fanatic Billy Frazier (Andrew Keenan-Bolger) and Keith Michael's fellow colleagues Dr. Lerner (J.K. Simmons) and Mary Waldon (Allison Janney).
Some of the other characters lacked depth and the narrative was a tad too predictable. In his witty introduction to the movie, Hugh Grant discussed his previous work with Marc Lawrence (Music and Lyrics, Two Weeks Notice, Keeping Up With The Morgans) as two hits and one Turkey. I hope this new film doesn't fall into the latter category. Grant has next two releases in twelve months. One he hinted would be announced very soon. I'm hoping for something fresher from him.
Don't get me wrong, if you're looking for an easy watching rom-com you'll enjoy it, but it may leave you wanting more.