There’s a scene in Roger Michell’s “Morning Glory” where the protagonist’s mom dispenses her thought about “dreaming” at specific ages. And it struck a chord:
At 8, it’s adorable.
At 18, it’s inspiring.
At 28, it’s officially embarrassing.
You have to stop before you get to “heart breaking”.
Coming from a mother, the effect should be excruciating. We are talking about Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) who gets fired as executive producer of her New Jersey morning news show. Well, Becky eventually finds another, in a fourth-rate broadcast morning show. She gets to meet her haughty lady anchor Colleen Peck (the adorable Diane Keaton), fires the slimy male host – and ropes in a cranky, cantankerous multi-awarded Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) who’s repellent to anything but hard news.
Morning show TV producer Becky Fuller
Becky pep talks her anchors Colleen and Mike, who don't see eye to eye.
The film runs with frenetic energy from the voluble and expansive Rachel McAdams who sometimes goes over the top with her theatrics, it could get exasperating watching her. The cat-and-mouse bickering of Colleen and Mike as work politics gets in the way (who gets to utter the last word on screen) gets boisterous too. Am having trouble imbibing the thought that Indiana Jones is a hard news reporter, but on the whole, “Morning Glory” is a throw back, if a tad superficial, to the old glory of 1987’s James Brooks’ film, “Broadcast News” which starred the beautiful William Hurt and the spitfire Holly Hunter (the film received 8 Oscar nominations).
As bonus, Patrick Wilson’s character Adam Bennett talks about the “communist rebels of the Philippines” when Becky drops by his office.
This was fun.
You have to learn to banter with Colleen, begs Becky.
Colleen tries something light and fun... for the ratings.
Adam Bennett is attracted to manic soul Becky, but she's too attached with her work.
Rachel McAdams
Harrison Ford in his younger days (above and below).
Patrick Wilson
