DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? - Blu-ray review

Rarely do romantic comedies do it for me. I find the genre predictable and less than innovative. Sometimes, good ones come along, and other times, the same structure recycles itself into another application, amending only the actors, actresses, characters and settings.

Imagine my perception when "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment arrived at the front door. I was less than enthused, but after watching, was pleasantly surprised. The film's emphasis is on different elements than those before it, and as a result, it was tolerable and occasionally enjoyable. Nothing here will make the movie significant, but there are some bright spots.

Writer and director Marc Lawrence has spearheaded two other films: "Two Weeks Notice" in 2002 and "Music and Lyrics" in 2007. Oddly enough, those films and "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" all relied on Hugh Grant to take the male lead. Unsurprisingly, none of the three titles holds a spot atop the romantic comedy pyramid, nor does Grant occupy space as a romantic comedy stud. What holds "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" together is its ability to highlight cultural contrast and an array of colorful and entertaining supporting characters.

Meet Meryl (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Paul (Grant) Morgan, two successful New Yorkers who are separated after multiple disagreements, all topped off by Paul's infidelity on a recent business trip to Los Angeles. Meryl is a real estate tycoon who has a rep for success, and Paul is an attorney that runs his own firm. Both have more money than they know what to do with, and while they are very capable at doing what has made them wealthy, it's likely neither could make a pot of coffee or change the office toner cartridge without help. Thankfully, Meryl's assistant Jackie (Elisabeth Moss) and Paul's assistant Adam (Jesse Liebman) are around to keep their lives in order.

It's clear Paul wants to patch things up, but Meryl is less than interested. After dinner together one night, the pair sees Meryl's most recent client fall from a balcony with a knife in his back. The murderer, Vincent (Michael Kelly), is really a fall guy for an organized crime boss, and he chases after the Morgans. Thankfully, they get to police, who place them under 24-hour surveillance by United States Marshalls. That lasts briefly, as Meryl is nearly killed when Vincent finds the Morgan's high-rise apartment (she's been living there during the separation, while Paul has resided in a nearby hotel).

As a result, the pair is relocated to rural Ray, Wyoming. Their keepers are Clay (Sam Elliott) and Emma (Mary Steenburgen) Wheeler, almost retired US Marshalls who take in folks in witness protection. Meryl and Paul assume new identities as the Fosters, visiting cousin Clay from Chicago. They seek access to phones, the Internet and other city comforts, but all are either limited or non-existent, and the couple find themselves with loads of free time to talk about their troubled marriage.

Eventually, Vincent finds the Morgans/Fosters by dropping an audio bug in Jackie's purse. He tracks them all the way to Ray, but the town has taken quite a liking to the visiting couple and comes to their aid. I won't reveal how "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" concludes, but I bet if you've seen your fair share of romantic comedies you can make a pretty educated guess.

Both Grant and Parker are extremely underwhelming as the lead cast members. I found Parker to be incapable and childish, consistently needing direction or handholding. If this is how she appeared on screen, I shudder to think how it must be working with her during production. She does a good job appearing insecure and helpless, both qualities that her character wouldn't dare project in the cutthroat New York real estate market, but things that in reality have a large space in her persona. Grant has about as much personality as a paper bag. He has little to no confidence, can't stand up for himself and probably could use a swift kick in the noggin. Grant's performance, however, is better than Parker's. She feels scripted and artificial, while he at least is convincing in his shortcomings. He stumbles with words and pauses regularly, trying to say (or at least think of) the right thing.

The real highlights come from the supporting cast and the cultural adjustments Meryl and Paul need to make. Both Elliott and Steenburgen are strong and convincing as simple country bumpkins who provide an example for their guests on how to make a marriage function. Elliott seems rough around the edges, but as the 103-minute film progresses he opens up to Meryl and Paul, revealing a dedicated individual who values life's simple pleasures and puts others before himself. Steenburgen looks like a countrywoman, but isn't afraid to take target practice with her rifles, cook in cast iron skillets or chop wood the old fashioned way. In fact, she teaches Paul what the phrase "wearing the pants" is all about. Other strong supporting performances come from Nurse Kelly (Kim Shaw), the breathtakingly beautiful but slightly slow doctor's assistant, assistant fire chief and waitress, and Earl Granger (Wilford Brimley, the guy from those Liberty Medical commercials that air during "The Price is Right" and other quality daytime television programs), the town's oldest resident who relies on Paul to help him draft a will.

Cultural clashes abound in "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" When Clay picks Meryl and Paul up at the airport, they stop at a warehouse retailer for a few items, and the couple marvel at the reasonable prices and gigantic selection. Paul picks up some anti-bear spray and an instructional poster, which both come in very handy a day or so later when a grizzly confronts him. Meryl reads the poster and accidentally sprays Paul in the face as he runs away, intending (I think) to hit the bear. At another moment, the couple comment on how quiet Ray is at night. Both yearn for a siren, a car alarm or any noise to take them back to the city. The high point, however, comes when Paul spots a woman in the warehouse store playing around with various guns and weapons. As they wait and load up Clay's truck, the woman approaches and Meryl states, "Oh my god, it's Sarah Palin."

As good as the supporting folks and cultural brushes are, they can't overcome the weak lead performances and chemistry-less interactions between Parker and Grant. "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" has just enough good moments to save it from being a total loss, but nowhere near as many as it needed to be decent. The screenplay is lackluster, and the execution average. It sparkles momentarily, but has minimal value beyond that.

Video:
All is well and good with the 1080p High Definition 2.35:1 video transfer. The film disproportionately takes place in sunny Wyoming (it was filmed mostly in New Mexico), and as a result bright colors dominate with natural light and a clear image throughout. Despite this, the coloration occasionally feels subdued and underperforming. This is not a bad transfer, but for Blu-ray it could have been stronger. The great outdoors comes through with crispness that connotes authenticity and contrast from the big city. Cinematography is very traditional.

Audio:
More normal toned dialogue than anything else is heard in the English 5.1 DTS-High Definition Master Audio soundtrack. Additional options include a French 5.1 DTS-HD MA and an English 5.1 Dolby Digital. I experienced an occasional dip in the quality, although this was probably due to vocal tones being raised or lowered more so than the audio's influence. Background noise comes through fine, but doesn't dominate. Subtitles in English and French are available. The sounds of the country, from horses galloping to shotguns firing and rodeo attendees cheering, are all in place and hold their own.

Extras:
The cookie cutter deleted scenes, gag reel/outtakes and commentary with director Lawrence and actors Parker and Grant are available. Also enabled are movieIQ and BD Live options, plus a look at the casting, the costume design and bear training via featuretts. It isn't a horribly diverse offering, and nothing here is so engaging it demands attention.

A Final Word:
"Did You Hear About the Morgans?" has one, maybe two viewings to its shelf life. As a whole, it is mildly entertaining and quite harmless. Its main characters, however, drastically underperform, and the entire film suffers in the end. The format is predictable and lacks originality, despite potential generated by supporting cast members and some creative contrasts.