The key for morning television is achieving the perfect mix of substance and fluff. Morning Glory, a movie about a woman who overhauls a failing morning TV show, conveniently manages to find that balance.
Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes) plays sassy Becky Fuller, who has a limitless passion for morning television and absolutely no clue when it comes to dealing with the opposite sex.
Almost immediately at the start of the movie, Becky gets fired from her job as a producer for a New Jersey morning television show.
A few job applications later, she is successfully hired as an executive producer at fictional news network IBS’ show Daybreak in New York. She faces the daunting task of turning a second-rate morning show into one that actually competes in the ratings with the Today show, Good Morning America and The Early Show. She comes after a long line of executive producers, and none of her co-workers seem to think she can succeed.
However, she soon fires the narcissistic and ineffective male co-host and manages to replace him with news legend Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford, Extraordinary Measures), who used to collect broadcast journalism awards back in his day. Although Becky has won a victory in getting Mike on the team, he is an extremely prickly character who feels he is above morning television.
Becky eventually lifts the show out of its murky hole with tactics that include incorporating YouTube-worthy stunts, such as making her weatherman go skydiving and booking 50 Cent for a performance. Even the stoic and sarcastic Mike eventually warms up, revealing to Becky his unhappiness with how he used to live his life.
Even if she is sleep-deprived and working constantly, Becky manages to score a studly, sensitive guy. Adam (Patrick Wilson, Insidious), who also works for the network, brings out the best in Becky. He isn’t fazed by her workaholic antics or nervous chatter, and when her cell phone rings during make out time, Adam sticks it in the fridge.
Morning Glory is a fun movie with plenty of side-splitting jokes, references and cameos. However, the chemistry between Mike and his co-host, Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton, Mad Money) is probably the most endearing facet of the film. They have fierce clashes almost from the moment Mike gets hired to be on the show. And when they break their fake politeness on the air by openly making snide remarks about one another, things get even funnier.
Morning Glory was written by Aline Brosh McKenna, who also wrote the script for The Devil Wears Prada. The similarities between the two films are striking. Anne Hathaway’s ambitious character in The Devil Wears Prada is akin to McAdams’ protagonist in Morning Glory, and the Anna Wintour-like Meryl Streep character finds a parallel in Ford’s newsman portrayal. Both female leads even have supportive, gorgeous, somewhat subordinate boyfriends. Although the places of work may be different, the “working for success in New York” theme is definitely the same in the two movies. Thus, fans of The Devil Wears Prada will probably like this feel-good film.
The film does not necessarily make a good case for morning television as a front-runner for news; after all, in the film, Keaton kisses a frog in the name of show business. Most of the stories shown on Daybreak are entertainment-related. Mike struggles with the transition from hard news to fluff pieces.
Nevertheless, the movie does give an interesting look at the inner workings of morning television.
This “behind the scenes” aspect is what makes this comedy better than most others geared toward females. Sure, it’s about Becky Fuller’s success in work and men, but it also gives an inside peek at what might go on backstage at such productions.
Cheerful and upbeat, one thing is for sure; Morning Glory may not be the brightest flower in the bunch, but it will leave you with a smile.
RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5
wildman@umdbk.com
