Music and Lyrics

Last updated
Music and Lyrics
Music and lyrics.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Marc Lawrence
Written byMarc Lawrence
Produced by
  • Martin Shafer
  • Liz Glotzer
Starring
CinematographyXavier Pérez Grobet
Edited by Susan E. Morse
Music by Adam Schlesinger
Production
companies
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • February 14, 2007 (2007-02-14)(United States)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$40 million [1]
Box office$145.9 million [1]

Music and Lyrics is a 2007 American musical romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Marc Lawrence. It focuses on the relationship that evolves between a former pop music idol (of the fictional band PoP!) and an aspiring writer as they struggle to compose a song for a reigning pop diva.

Contents

The film was released on February 14, 2007, by Warner Bros. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who praised Grant's performance and the musical numbers but found the film simplistic, and grossed $145.9 million worldwide.

Plot

Alex Fletcher is a washed-up former pop star (from the British group 'PoP!') who seems happy in his "has-been" status, performing for 80s-loving fans at reunions and random locations, when his manager tells him Cora Corman, a young megastar, wants him to write a song for her, titled "Way Back Into Love". Alex is reluctant to compose again after two decades, because his strength was always the tune while his ex-partner Colin always wrote the words. However, his caring but professional manager tells him that his music career is completely doomed if he doesn't switch gears—interest in his nostalgia concerts is dwindling.

During an unsuccessful attempt to compose the song in collaboration with a "very hip, very edgy" lyricist, Alex discovers that the woman who is temporarily watering his plants, Sophie Fisher, has a talent for writing lyrics. Alex, on a 48-hour deadline to write the song, asks her to help him, but she refuses multiple times, to the chagrin of her older sister Rhonda, who happens to be a huge fan of Alex. It's not until Alex composes a lovely song with some of Sophie's lyrics and plays it for her that she realizes they could do it. Over the next few days, they grow closer while writing the words and music together. Sophie reveals she lost confidence in herself and abandoned writing after a disastrous romance with her English professor Sloan Cates.

Barely meeting the deadline Cora has set for the song's delivery, Alex and Sophie are thrilled when she accepts it; however, at a celebratory dinner with Alex's manager Chris and his wife, Sophie is mortified to encounter Sloan. She confronts him but finds herself tongue-tied in his presence, and Alex's own attempts to defend her result in a scuffle. Nursing their wounds back at Alex's apartment, Alex and Sophie fall into an unplanned romantic encounter.

When Cora invites Alex and Sophie to hear her interpretation of "Way Back into Love," Sophie is horrified by her Indian-vibed, sexually confident interpretation of their earnest song. Alex rushes Sophie out of the room before she can say anything, and tells her he agrees it's awful but says they need to accept it as the cost of doing business. Later at Cora's party, despite Alex's best efforts to block her, Sophie finally tells Cora that she feels the new arrangement clashes with the insecurity expressed in the song's lyrics. Cora says she's still going to perform it her way, but expresses appreciation for Sophie's honesty. Sophie leaves Alex when she gets upset by his willingness to demean his talent and his claim that Sloan was right about her personality.

Sophie, intending to start a new life in Florida, reluctantly attends the opening of Cora's new tour at Madison Square Garden, at which Alex and Cora will debut "Way Back Into Love". Upon hearing that Alex is singing a new song "written by Alex Fletcher", Sophie, believing that Alex is stealing credit for her work; attempts to leave; but however, the song Alex sings is called "Don't Write Me Off", his plea for Sophie to give him another chance. A touched Sophie finds Alex backstage and he confesses to having successfully convinced Cora to drop the risqué version of "Way Back into Love" in an attempt to win Sophie back. He and Cora perform the tune as he and Sophie intended it to be sung.

The end of the movie (an homage to VH1's Pop-Up Video ) reveals that the song becomes a hit for Cora and Alex, the film version of Sloan's novel flops with critics and moviegoers (destroying his career), PoP! reunites for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, after which their lead singer Colin Thompson (who left the band with some of Alex's songs to start a solo career) winds up having his hip replaced after years of dancing, and Alex and Sophie go on to become successful partners, both in songwriting and romance, with five more new pop hits.

Cast

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 63% based on 169 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Music & Lyrics is a light and pleasant romantic comedy that succeeds because of the considerable charm of its co-stars. The music segments featuring Hugh Grant are worth the price of admission." [6] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 59 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [7] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. [8]

A.O. Scott of The New York Times called the film "the type of modern Hollywood production that aspires to nothing more than the competent dispensing of mild amusement and easy emotion. The writer and director, Marc Lawrence ... shows some imagination as he parodies the music-video styles of various eras, and he contrives a bit of novelty in making the movie's central couple creative partners as well as potential lovers ... Mr. Grant is at his best when he allows a hard glint of caddish narcissism to peek through his easy flirtatiousness, something he did in About a Boy and American Dreamz . There is not quite enough of that here, nor enough of the anarchic loopiness that Ms. Barrymore brought to roles opposite Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates ." [9]

Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle observed, "Writer-director Marc Lawrence makes a talk-heavy variety of romantic comedy that not everyone likes - Miss Congeniality , Two Weeks Notice , Forces of Nature - but he does it well. Moreover, Music and Lyrics has virtues its predecessors lack. Scenes play out longer than in most films, and conversations have a chance to evolve. Also, because much of the film places the protagonists in rooms together, working for extended periods, there are an unusual number of two-person scenes, giving the actors the chance to show their charm, work off each other and develop the nuances of interaction ... Lawrence's take on pop music success is exactly right, satiric without being absurdist, and therefore a prize worth the effort." [10]

Todd McCarthy of Variety said "Sitcommy in structure and execution, this very mainstream romance ... offers few surprises. But its pep, agreeable performances and appealing central conceit will profitably put this Warner Bros. Valentine's Day romantic comedy over with women and couples seeking a nice diversion ... Writer-director Marc Lawrence ... makes everything about three times more obvious than it needs to be; as a director, he needs to edit himself better as a writer ... But there's energy here, and the actors feed on it." [11]

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film two out of five stars, calling it a "very moderate romcom" and adding, "Grant and Barrymore make a reasonable odd couple, and both have charm, but this never comes to life." [12]

Philip French of The Observer said, "Grant has the occasional good line (or at least he makes a few of them seem funny), but the film limps along like someone trying to tap dance in flippers." [13]

Box office

The film opened on February 9, 2007 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and ranked #1 at the box office, grossing £1.93 million in its first weekend. It was released on 2,955 screens in the United States and Canada on February 14 and grossed $13,623,630 on its opening weekend, ranking #4 at the box office [1] behind Ghost Rider , Bridge to Terabithia , and Norbit . It eventually grossed $50,572,589 in the US and Canada and $95,323,833 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $145,896,422. [1]

Soundtrack

Music and Lyrics soundtrack MusicandLyricssoundtrack.jpg
Music and Lyrics soundtrack

Music and Lyrics: Music from the Motion Picture is the 2007 soundtrack from the film. It was released by Atlantic Records on February 13, 2007, and features songs performed by the film's stars Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, and Haley Bennett. The album reached #5 on the Billboard Top Soundtracks Chart [14] and #63 on the Billboard 200. [15]

The song "Invincible" performed by Haley Bennett that plays at the end of the film credits does not appear on the soundtrack. The same is true for the song "Work to Do", written by Adam Schlesinger (who wrote most of the songs for the film) and performed by the folk band America, which plays only at the end of the film credits.

Martin Fry of pop band ABC served as Grant's vocal coach for the movie. [16] The album also reached #93 on the Australian Albums Chart. [17]

Track listing

#TitleSongwritersCredit on CD insertCredited in filmTrack Length
1"PoP! Goes My Heart" Andrew Wyatt (credited in film as A. Blakemore), Alanna VicenteAll instruments: Andrew Wyatt, Vocals: Hugh Grant, Andrew WyattHugh Grant3:16
2"Buddha's Delight (studio)"Credited in film: Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg, Henrik Jonback, A. Blakemore, and Marc Lawrence

[Adam Schlesinger, Rachel Perry (demo version)] (CD credit?)

Vocals: Haley Bennett, B-vox: Lucy WoodwardHaley Bennett2:47
3"Meaningless Kiss" Adam Schlesinger Sax: Jack Bashkow, B-vox: Martin Fry Hugh Grant3:49
4"Entering Bootytown"Andrew Wyatt (credited in film as A. Blakemore)All instruments: Andrew Wyatt, Vocals: Haley BennettHaley Bennett3.24
5"Way Back into Love (Demo Mix)"Adam SchlesingerAll instruments: Adam Schlesinger, Vocals: Drew Barrymore, Hugh GrantDrew Barrymore, Hugh Grant4:12
6"Tony the Beat" Jesper Anderberg, Johan Bengtsson, Maja Ivarsson, Frederik Nilsson, and Felix Rodriguez The Sounds The Sounds3:10
7"Dance With Me Tonight" Clyde Lawrence Intro: Clyde Lawrence, Vocals: Hugh Grant, Andrew Wyatt, Sax: Sam AlbrightHugh Grant3:00
8"Slam"Andrew Wyatt (credited in film as A. Blakemore) and Marc LawrenceVocals: Haley Bennett, B-vox: Andrew WyattHaley Bennett3:48
9"Don't Write Me Off"Adam SchlesingerPiano: Adam Schlesinger, Vocals: Hugh GrantHugh Grant2:30
10"Way Back into Love (unlive)"Adam SchlesingerAll instruments: Adam Schlesinger, Vocals: Hugh Grant, Haley Bennett, B-vox: Britta Phillips, Kelly JonesHaley Bennett, Hugh Grant4:37
11"Different Sound" Teddybears Vocals: Malte Holmberg (Sweden)Teddybears3:23
12"Love Autopsy (studio)"Marc LawrencePiano: Michael Rafter, Vocals: Hugh GrantHugh Grant0:40

Charts

Chart (2007)ProviderPeak
position
Austrian Albums Chart [18] Media Control 21
French Albums Chart [18] SNEP/IFOP118
German Albums ChartMedia Control26
Swiss Albums Chart [18] 21
U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 63

Home media

The film was released on DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray on May 8, 2007.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drew Barrymore</span> American actress (born 1975)

Drew Blythe Barrymore is an American actress, producer, talk show host, and author. A member of the Barrymore family of actors, she has received several awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for nine Emmy Awards and a British Academy Film Award. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Grant</span> English actor (born 1960)

Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a more dramatic character actor. Among his accolades, he has received a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Honorary César. As of 2018, his films had grossed a total of nearly US$3 billion worldwide. In 2022, Time Out magazine listed Grant as one of Britain's 50 greatest actors of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aimee Mann</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1960)

Aimee Elizabeth Mann is an American singer-songwriter. Over the course of four decades, she has released more than a dozen albums as a solo artist and with other musicians. Her work with the producer Jon Brion in the 1990s was influential on American alternative rock, and she is noted for her sardonic and literate lyrics about dark subjects.

<i>Love Actually</i> 2003 Christmas romantic comedy film

Love Actually is a 2003 Christmas romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. It features an ensemble cast, composed predominantly of British actors, many of whom had worked with Curtis in previous film and television projects. Mostly filmed on location in London, the screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through 10 separate stories involving a variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as the plot progresses. The story begins five weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an epilogue that takes place one month later.

<i>The Wedding Singer</i> 1998 film by Frank Coraci

The Wedding Singer is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Christina Pickles and Christine Taylor, and tells the story of a wedding singer in 1985 who falls in love with a waitress. The film was released on February 13, 1998. Produced on a budget of US$18 million, it grossed $123 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews from critics. It is often ranked as one of Sandler's best comedies.

<i>The Big Chill</i> (film) 1983 film by Lawrence Kasdan

The Big Chill is a 1983 American comedy-drama film directed by Lawrence Kasdan, starring an ensemble cast consisting of Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, and JoBeth Williams. The plot focuses on a group of baby boomers who attended the University of Michigan, reuniting after 15 years when their friend Alex dies by suicide. Kevin Costner was cast as Alex, but all scenes showing his face were cut. It was filmed in Beaufort, South Carolina.

<i>Never Been Kissed</i> 1999 film by Raja Gosnell

Never Been Kissed is a 1999 American romantic comedy film directed by Raja Gosnell and starring Drew Barrymore, Jessica Alba, David Arquette, Michael Vartan, Leelee Sobieski, Jeremy Jordan, Molly Shannon, Garry Marshall, John C. Reilly and James Franco in his film debut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flashdance... What a Feeling</span> 1983 single by Irene Cara

"Flashdance... What a Feeling" is a song from the 1983 film Flashdance with music by Giorgio Moroder and lyrics by Keith Forsey and the song's performer, Irene Cara. Moroder had been asked to score the film, and Cara and Forsey wrote most of the lyrics after they were shown the last scene from it in which the main character dances at an audition for a group of judges. They felt that the dancer's ambition to succeed could act as a metaphor for achieving any dream a person has and wrote lyrics that described what it feels like when music inspires someone to dance. The song wound up being used for the scene they watched as well as during the opening credits as the main character is shown working as a welder.

<i>Young at Heart</i> (1955 film) 1955 musical film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Doris Day and Frank Sinatra

Young at Heart is a 1954 American musical film starring Doris Day and Frank Sinatra, and directed by Gordon Douglas. Its supporting cast includes Gig Young, Ethel Barrymore, Alan Hale Jr., and Dorothy Malone. The picture was the first of five films that Douglas directed involving Sinatra, and was a remake of the 1938 film Four Daughters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)</span> 1913 song recorded by Al Jolson

"You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)" is a popular song from 1913 composed by James V. Monaco with lyrics by Joseph McCarthy. It was introduced by Al Jolson in the Broadway revue The Honeymoon Express (1913), and used in the 1973 revival of the musical Irene.

<i>Lady Be Good</i> (1941 film) 1941 film by Norman Z. McLeod

Lady Be Good is an MGM musical film released in 1941. The film stars dancer Eleanor Powell, along with Ann Sothern, Robert Young, Lionel Barrymore, and Red Skelton. It was directed by Norman Z. McLeod and produced by Arthur Freed. This was the first of several films Powell made with Skelton. Powell received top billing, but Sothern and Young are the main stars. They play, respectively, Dixie Donegan, a would-be lyricist, and Eddie Crane, a struggling composer.

<i>Saajan</i> 1991 film by Lawrence DSouza

Saajan is a 1991 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Lawrence D'Souza and produced by Sudhakar Bokade. It stars Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan in lead roles, with Kader Khan, Reema Lagoo and Laxmikant Berde in supporting roles. Nadeem–Shravan composed the film's music whereas Sameer wrote the lyrics of the songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back to Black (song)</span> 2007 single by Amy Winehouse

"Back to Black" is a song by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 30 April 2007 by Island Records as the third single from her second and final studio album of the same name (2006). The song was written by Winehouse and Mark Ronson, and produced by the latter. "Back to Black" was inspired by Winehouse's relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil, who had left her for an ex-girlfriend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Early Winter</span> 2008 single by Gwen Stefani

"Early Winter" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani from her second solo studio album, The Sweet Escape (2006). Written by Stefani and English pianist Tim Rice-Oxley, the song was released in Europe as the album's fifth and final single on January 18, 2008, by Interscope Records. Musically, "Early Winter" is a soft rock and synth-pop ballad with new wave influences. Critics found it similar to songs by English alternative rock band Keane, of which Rice-Oxley is a member. The lyrics of the song describe the nearing of the end of a relationship, and were speculated to be references to Stefani's own relationship with husband Gavin Rossdale.

<i>You Were Meant for Me</i> (film) 1948 film by Lloyd Bacon

You Were Meant for Me is a 1948 musical film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Dan Dailey and Jeanne Crain as a bandleader and his wife. It was released by 20th Century Fox. The film includes performances of "You Were Meant for Me", "I'll Get By ", and "Ain't Misbehavin'".

<i>Hes Just Not That Into You</i> (film) 2009 film by Ken Kwapis

He's Just Not That Into You is a 2009 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Ken Kwapis, based on Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo's 2004 self-help book of the same name. It follows nine people and their varying romantic problems. Gigi, a common thread amongst the characters, is followed more closely than the other eight and has a more developed storyline as she consistently misreads all of her romantic partners' behaviors. She meets Alex, who helps her to interpret signs given to her by her dates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daddy (Beyoncé song)</span> Promotional single by Beyoncé

"Daddy" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her debut studio album, Dangerously in Love (2003). It was composed by Beyoncé and Mark Batson. The song was not originally intended to be featured on the final track listing of the album. Beyoncé was able to record the song as the release date of her debut album had been postponed. "Daddy" was released to US iTunes Store as a digital single on June 3, 2003, through Columbia Records.

<i>Submarine</i> (EP) 2011 EP / soundtrack by Alex Turner

Submarine is the debut solo EP by English musician and Arctic Monkeys lead vocalist Alex Turner, released on 14 March 2011 by Domino Recording Company. It was written by Turner in 2009, on an acoustic guitar, at his New York City home. It was produced in London by frequent collaborator James Ford, alongside guest musician Bill Ryder-Jones, and string arranger Owen Pallett. The EP consists of six original songs that act as the soundtrack of Richard Ayoade's debut feature film, Submarine (2010), based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne. The artwork is a resized version of the film's poster, which depicts lead actor Craig Roberts.

<i>The Rewrite</i> 2014 American film

The Rewrite is a 2014 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Marc Lawrence. It stars Hugh Grant as a washed-up screenwriter who begins teaching at Binghamton University, and Marisa Tomei as a single mother with whom the screenwriter finds romance. It began development at Castle Rock Entertainment in October 2012, and filming began in New York in April 2013.

<i>The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1</i> (soundtrack) 2014 soundtrack album by various artists

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 is the soundtrack album to the 2014 dystopian science fiction film of the same name, curated by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. The film is an adaptation of the 2010 novel by Suzanne Collins and is the third installment in The Hunger Games film series. The soundtrack has been described by music critics as an electropop record with elements of hip hop, synth pop and the use of electronic beats throughout the album. The melodic style of the songs is a deviation from the guitar-driven sound of the previous series' soundtracks.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Music and Lyrics at Box Office Mojo
  2. "Music and Lyrics (2007)" Archived 2013-12-24 at the Wayback Machine Entertainment Weekly.
  3. "Music and Lyrics" Archived 2010-02-08 at the Wayback Machine . eFilmCritic.
  4. ASIN   B000M5B6Q0 , Music and Lyrics [Soundtrack]
  5. "Music And Lyrics" Archived 2010-04-11 at the Wayback Machine . Wild About Movies.
  6. Music and Lyrics at Rotten Tomatoes
  7. Music and Lyrics at Metacritic OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  8. "Find CinemaScore" (Type "Music and Lyrics" in the search box). CinemaScore . Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  9. A.O. Scott (February 14, 2007). "Melodic Guy, Verbal Gal Meet Cute and Get Lyrical". The New York Times . Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2017. Music and Lyrics, in contrast, is the type of modern Hollywood production that aspires to nothing more than the competent dispensing of mild amusement and easy emotion. The writer and director, Marc Lawrence ... shows some imagination as he parodies the music-video styles of various eras, and he contrives a bit of novelty in making the movie's central couple creative partners as well as potential lovers. Mr. Grant is at his best when he allows a hard glint of caddish narcissism to peek through his easy flirtatiousness, something he did in About a Boy and American Dreamz. There is not quite enough of that here, nor enough of the anarchic loopiness that Ms. Barrymore brought to roles opposite Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates.
  10. Mick LaSalle (February 14, 2007). "When cute couple write pop songs, they may find love". San Francisco Chronicle . Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2020. Writer-director Marc Lawrence makes a talk-heavy variety of romantic comedy that not everyone likes -- Miss Congeniality,Two Weeks Notice,Forces of Nature -- but he does it well. Moreover, Music and Lyrics has virtues its predecessors lack. Scenes play out longer than in most films, and conversations have a chance to evolve. Also, because much of the film places the protagonists in rooms together, working for extended periods, there are an unusual number of two-person scenes, giving the actors the chance to show their charm, work off each other and develop the nuances of interaction. ... Lawrence's take on pop music success is exactly right, satiric without being absurdist, and therefore a prize worth the effort.
  11. Todd McCarthy (February 9, 2007). "Music and Lyrics". Variety .
  12. Peter Bradshaw (9 February 2007). "Music and Lyrics". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  13. Philip French (11 February 2007). "Music and Lyrics". The Observer . Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  14. 2007 Billboard Top Soundtracks Chart Entry
  15. 2007 Billboard 200 Chart Entry
  16. "ABC's Fry Is Hugh Grant's New Vocal Coach". Billboard.com. 2006. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  17. "The ARIA Report" (PDF). webarchive.nla.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-03-19. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  18. 1 2 3 "SOUNDTRACK - MUSIC AND LYRICS (ALBUM)". Austriancharts.