Morning Glory is the best movie I've seen in 2011. It might also be the only new movie I've seen this year, but that doesn't mean I like it any less.
Morning Glory is the story of Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) and Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford). Becky is a morning news producer who gets fired from her job due to 'organizational changes', and then "lucks" into the producers job on Daybreak, the morning news show of the fictional IBS.
Daybreak is bottom of the barrel on ratings, and Becky's arrival at the show does little to help. She immediately fires the pompous co-anchor, leaving the show with just Colleen Peck (Diana Keaton). Desperate to reinvent the image of the show, Becky finds Mike Pomeroy, a former serious evening news host on contract with the station, and forces him to complete his contract by being anchor on Daybreak. Pomeroy considers himself to be far, far above this, and goes through the motions of the show, doing his best to be as least helpful as possible.
I have seen Ford's performance viewed negatively by critics, but I think he nailed it. He plays the pompous, uncaring Mike Pomeroy perfectly. Other than Indiana Jones, I haven't seen many recent Ford films, but I hope that his voice in this film was acting, and not a permanent change. If so, I feel sorry for him. I enjoyed McAdams performance as the hyperactive yet awkward Becky as well.
The film takes a hilarious turn as Daybreak is almost cancelled, and Becky pulls out all the stops to get the ratings up by deadline.
As a simple comedy, Morning Glory succeeds greatly. I have read reviews of it bashing it for not giving a harsher criticism of morning TV, or the entertainment industry. But why? Why would you condemn a movie for not being something that it isn't? At no point while watching did I get the impression that I was watching a satire on the news industry.
Overall, I give Morning Glory an 8/10. Very entertaining, solid performances, and one of those movies that you feel good after watching.
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