Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)

People are voting emotionally.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Once there a hundred reviews of a film, I usually don't add my own. But I'm surprised at how low a rating this film gets from so many viewers. I liked it, and I think it's a pretty average romantic comedy. That's not to say it's a perfect film, however.The one problem I had was that the female lead character as a business woman seems too different than the same character as a wife and lover. There does seem to be a mismatch there.Some say the film is predictable. Yes, it is. Of course, I find most films are fairly predictable. What I liked was the cast. I generally like Hugh Grant, and this film was perfect for his rather deadpan sense of humor. I'm not a fan of Sarah Jessica Parker, but I thought she was good here, and I felt that the split personality of her character was the fault of the screen writers. This was also a good role of Sam Elliott; over the years, he has grown on me. And Mary Steenburgen, as Elliott's wife is quite good, and I think she is an underrated actress. For a while I grew tired of Wilford Brimley, but lately I've enjoyed him more.I won't go over the plot here; you can look that up on Google. But while the general plot is rather predictable, the fun is in how the characters get from the beginning of the story to the ending. It held my attention fairly well.

Unfortunately, the moments were interspersed with so much "we're too cool for school" jingoism against anyone who isn't a New Yorker for my tolerance levels for Hugh Grant's charm.The fact that the first credits revealed that it was filmed in New Mexico instead of Wyoming (both gorgeous states, neither deserving of the constant wise cracks about how "rural" they are) was the final break of the fourth wall for me after so much pointless, predictable rot.I don't genuinely expect a lot from a rom com, although I DO like a bit of actual romance, blended with a few funny lines (and there were... a few...), but I also expect to not be offended every few moments by insults to my intelligence and my belief that love and tolerance really are the most powerful forces in the universe, so this was a major fail.It's hard to believe that so many talented minds produced such an amazing pile of... steaming bear poop.

Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009): Dir: Marc Lawrence / Cast: Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, Michael Kelly: Did you hear about the Morgans? It's a lousy film at best. It is a formula driven comedy celebrating marriage. Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker play a couple separated due to infidelity. After witnessing a murder they are put under the witness protection program and are flown from New York to Wyoming where culture is different. As predicted they patch things up and are stalked by the person they are hiding from. Directed by Marc Lawrence with great scenery. Lawrence has worked with Grant numerous times including in the amusing Music and Lyrics and the terrible Two Weeks Notice. Grant and Parker are reduced to props that spout out bitter lines and pointing fingers but it is the third act at the rodeo that is truly embarrassing. Sam Elliott and Mary Steenburgen play the couple assigned to protect them although the roles are flat. They will teach them the finer points of marriage but ultimately they should be teaching them how to apply their talent to decent films. Michael Kelly has the worst role, which is the villain out to end the lives of our married heroes. While marriage is celebrated it is still reduced to corny situations and predictable storytelling within a film no one needs to hear about. Score: 3 / 10

A well to do New York couple who have separated enter a witness protection programme after witnessing a murder.Lawyer Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) and real estate agent Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker) are located to a small town in Wyoming under the protection of husband and wife who are sheriff and deputy (Sam Elliot and Mary Steenburgen.)They have trouble adjusting to life in a small town with their country ways such as an inept attempts at rifle shooting, chopping wood, riding a horse and an unfortunate encounter with a bear.However in due course they settle down, helped by the fact how cheap clothes are in warehouse stores and help the locals out with their problems by using their professional skills but the bad guys are still searching for them.The film is mildly diversionary fish out of water movie with Hugh Grant still doing his bumbling English guy act trying to mend things with Sarah Jessica Parker. Its cornily predictable but oozes charm and there is a lot of warmth provided by Steenbergen and Elliot.