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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, December 18, 2009

'Morgans' rambles through predictable cliches


By James Ward
Visalia (Calif.) Times-Delta

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant play a couple with marital problems, stuck together in witness protection.

Columbia Pictures

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'DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS?'

PG-13, for sexual references and momentary violence.

108 minutes

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There's just no reason to go see the slight and forgettable romantic comedy "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" Oh, there are a few amusing moments —mostly star Hugh Grant's quips — but the movie by rom-com veteran Marc Lawrence never quite rises above the routine.

The whole project feels destined to gather dust on video store shelves next to such other disposable fare as "27 Dresses" and "P.S. I Love You." Worse, Grant never really connects with co-star Sarah Jessica Parker.

Compare that to Grant's sparkling chemistry with Sandra Bullock in "Two Weeks Notice" or with Drew Barrymore in "Music and Lyrics" — both films also directed by Lawrence — and you'll see an immediate difference. Perhaps it's not Parker's fault, but her character comes off as annoying. You never quite buy that Grant is madly in love with the woman.

Grant plays Paul Morgan, a rich New York City lawyer married to successful real estate broker Meryl. As the movie opens, Paul and Meryl's marriage is on the rocks because of his infidelity.

As the two are walking home from a strained dinner to work out their relationship problems, they witness a murder. The killer is a high-priced hit man whom law enforcement has been hunting for years. The Morgans are immediately put into witness protection and whisked off to Wyoming for their safety.

If you're asking yourself why couldn't the feds hide the Morgans somewhere in mammoth New York City — heck, they could have sent them to Queens or Staten Island and saved a lot of time and trouble — you are not the target audience for the film.

Once in Wyoming, the Morgans meet a slew of colorful characters who only show up in Hollywood movies. They all seemingly exist to either get cheap laughs about how provincial they are or give homespun advice to the Morgans. And then there's the slew of fish-out-of-water jokes that feel like they were ticked off a list from Hollywood scriptwriting for beginners.

Wildlife encounters? Check.

Cow milking jokes? Yep.

Wood-chopping gags? Affirmative.

At no point does "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" provide any surprises, marching to its inevitable conclusion without making much of an impression, even as a romantic comedy that aims to be bubbly entertainment.