Most modern, mainstream comedies are like morning television shows somewhat formulaic, sugary sweet and — when done right — charmingly comforting. “Morning Glory,” a film about a hardworking morning show producer trying to save her last-placed network’s show from cancellation, manages to inspire, despite its predictability.
Rachel McAdams plays Becky Fuller, the executive producer of the failing show “Daybreak.” Despite dreaming and working hard in hopes of one day working on the “Today Show,” Becky finds herself stuck trying to revitalize the almost dead network show. By bringing on seasoned journalist Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) as co-anchor to Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton), Fuller aspires to create a dynamic viewers are willing to watch. Unfortunately, Pomeroy sneers at the thought of covering soft entertainment stories and constantly challenges Becky’s authority and Colleen’s ethical standards. Becky, given a bottom line, must gain control of her staff and find inventive ways to gain rating points before “Daybreak” is officially axed by the network.
McAdams manages to play her character with wide-eyed innocence without coming off as dopey. Becky is an intelligent, capable professional who clearly loves her job. With fierce determinism, she confronts threats of being canceled, underfunded and abated with a smile. The energy the actress brings to the character raises the caliber of the film.
Ford takes what could have been a one-note, hard-nosed journalist and creates a complex character. He delivers his lines with a fast-paced, bitter edge but still manages to be likable. The small nuances in his facial expressions throughout the film provide extra comedy and help form the character of Mike Pomeroy. As the film develops, Ford’s character, manages to soften Pomeroy’s hard edges but stays true to the claim by several of his co-workers that he is the “third-worst person in the world.”
The supporting cast is able to provide laughs by making the most of their characters’ personalities. The dynamic between the “Daybreak” cast and crew provide the heart of the film and set this comedy apart from many of the romance-based films to have reached the market in the past few years.
The script is mostly smart and while it may not be as sharp as the high-profile cast deserved, it is good enough that the actors’ delivery makes up for its flaws. The relationship between McAdams’ Becky and Ford’s Pomeroy is fully developed and makes the movie more memorable than most. Their professional interactions grow into understanding and, eventually, mutual respect. Because the core dynamic of the film is platonic, the script is free to focus on work-related issues instead of sappy melodrama. While some of the melodrama does manage to work its way into the movie, “Morning Glory” is able to make it feel organic to the nature of the story line.
“Morning Glory” fulfills what it was meant to do as a movie: provide laughs to the audience and bring up enough weighty issues to give the movie intelligence without being heavy handed. While it may not be considered a classic, the film has enough charisma to set it above many of the movies pouring out of Hollywood today.