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Because it’s Valentine’s Day, the movie, “Music & Lyrics” is debuting in theaters, today.
This is a chick flick that–at least for the first 2/3rds–even guys will like. It’s a light, fun date movie. Despite two leads–Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant–whom I normally dislike intensely (he’s a girlie-man, she’s annoying), this one was actually entertaining, amusing, and even charming. In a movie industry full of sequels and predictable plot rip-offs, the plot in this one is original and novel. And for those of us who grew up in the 1980s, it’s got its funny moments making fun of ’80s pop bands with moussed asymmetrical hair and tight leather pants.

The story: A has-been pop singer (Grant) from an ’80s band–think Wham!, Duran Duran, A-ha!–is desperate for new gigs to keep afloat. A Christina Aguilera-style current pop star, who is a fan of his, wants him to write a new duet that he can sing with her at her upcoming concert at Madison Square Garden. His plant-watering girl (Barrymore) accidentally becomes his lyricist, and together they write the song. Those are really Grant’s and Barrymore’s voices doing a decent job of singing on-screen.
The funniest part of this movie is at the beginning when we see the ’80s video of his pop group. It makes fun of all the cheesiness of ’80s pop videos made for MTV. And the rest is funny, too–seeing the washed up, Rick-Springfield-style has-been performing at high school reunions and getting ogled and pawed by aging women who were his fans.
The romantic part in this movie–the last third of the film–is the only part that didn’t work for me–hard to believe a washed up, aging ’80s guy pop star and a young woman from today falling in love over a song they created.
Overall, I recommend this one. I liked it. As chick flicks go, this is one of the rare good, very bearable ones.