From Director Marc Lawrence (Miss Congeniality, Music and Lyrics) comes a comedy about a separated couple who are forced into the witness protection program after witnessing a murder. The first nail for me is my lack of interest in anything starring Sarah Jessica Parker, and Hugh Grant… well, Hugh Grant doesn’t change character for any movie, always playing the same awkward, bumbling yet debonair love interest. Unfortunately, all the British charm in the world doesn’t help him here. The performances are bland and the chemistry awful, sometimes even painful to watch. The story is very predictable and lame, generating the odd chuckle here and there… Actually, every funny moment in the film was shown in the trailer. Another thing that really bothered me was the awkward dialogue. It’s hard to believe that this was written by the same writer who wrote the Miss Congeniality movies. Overall though, Did You Hear About The Morgans is watchable. It’s not a film I’d ever voluntarily watch again, but if you have to see it, rent it.

Continuity Check – Early in the film Hugh Grant’s character is almost attacked by a huge bear. Parker accidentally sprays him (Grant, not the bear) in the face with a can of bear mace. Grant’s face becomes inflamed, reddened and he’s reduced to tears from the unbearable pain… so bad he has to see a doctor. Later in the film Grant’s character unloads what seems to be a more direct and larger dose of the same spray into his eyes, but somehow he shows none of the signs we saw earlier as he goes into his “love” dialogue with Parker. Towards the end of the scene, almost like someone off screen shouted “you’re supposed to be acting like you got sprayed with bear mace dummy”, Grant acknowledges the spray by blinking a few times and saying he can’t see her…. good save!

Available on DVD and Blu Ray March 16th, 2010.

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