ViewGuide

Created May 20, 2011 07:58AM PST • Edited Aug 28, 2013 05:27PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   Morning TV seduces Rachel McAdams’ plucky heroine more than a McDreamy boyfriend in this love letter to the bright lights of mainstream media. Good thing, since some well crafted career comedy makes Morning Glory reasonably entertaining to men, even if its target audience is aspiring women looking for a romantic thrill – and a happy ending.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Harrison Ford delivers gravitas like the postman delivers the mail – effortlessly, naturally, routinely. Odd that he once seemed so callow. He also possesses pretty fair comedic timing.

   Rachel McAdams charms as a career girl who’s much better at her job than with guys. A stock role to be sure, but McAdams brings an appealing freshness to it.

   Diane Keaton plays smart, frustrated and sexy as well as it can be done. She’s just getting better.

   The supporting players are well above average, including Patrick Wilson, John Pankow, Jeff Goldblum and Ty Burrell.

   Then there are cameos from Bob Schieffer, Morley Safer, Chris Matthews, Elaine Kaufman (of Elaine’s fame), and 50 Cent (of Candy Shop infamy), celebrity appearances being stock-in-trade for morning TV.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars OK 2.5

8. Male Costars Good 3.0

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    A mash-note to Manhattan-based media, Roger Michell’s film looks lovingly on Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, Elaine’s and other temples of media careerist desire.

11. Direction Good 3.0

12. Play OK 2.5

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Very Good 3.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.6

    Rachel McAdams and Patrick Wilson get interrupted almost as often as they get busy, which is often. Love scene interruptus is the movie’s sexual MO.

17. Sex Titillating 2.0

18. Violence Gentle 1.0

19. Rudeness Salty 1.7

21. Reality

    Glib 1.2

    The play on Elliott Spitzer’s whoring is clever and well done.

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.5

23. Biological Glib 1.2

24. Physical Natural 1.0