The Movie
For me, Morning Glory shoots itself in the foot in the very first scene, a first date for main character Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams). In one of those unrealities that only occurs in movies aimed at twenty-something women, apparently smart, high-energy, upbeat, achingly gorgeous girls with interesting jobs can't get dates... because their cellphones ring during dinner.
Impossible for a movie to recover from? Surprisingly not: With a bright-eyed charm and brisk pacing, Morning Glory proceeds to weave an engaging David and Goliath story about the plucky young morning show producer. Her new job puts her squarely in last place among the four networks, and so she tackles any and all obstacles to keep them on the air. Her Big Idea is to hire a crusty but prestigious hard-news anchor who hates fluffy lifestyle segments, and the word "fluffy," but is contractually obliged to take the gig.
And it is with the casting of Harrison Ford as this legendary figure that the movie scores one of its greatest coups, as his reputation-precedes-him demeanor, dry wit and still-got-it presence help raise the material above the sap it could have been.
Be sure to check out Karen Dahlstrom's review of Morning Glory, too.
The Picture
The AVC video here is razor-sharp, plainly evident in the costumes, the barely-there pattern of a man's dress shirt, the organic shadings of a faded denim jacket. When Daybreak, the show-within-the-movie, fills the center of the 2.4:1 screen, the graphics really pop, with bold colors. Blacks are pleasingly natural, often with great nuance. And people at different distances from the camera all manage to be in clear focus, a neat HD trick.
The Sound
Music is mixed full and wide across the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundstage, clean with a wide dynamic range, with particularly mighty low end during a quick studio visit by 50 Cent. There are also generous environmental sounds for New York City, plenty of office noises for the busy newsroom, plus little touches of nature and even a couple of gunshots on a hunting trip. It's not demo material certainly but what's here is well-handled.
The Extras
Director Roger Michell (Notting Hill) and writer Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) team up for the audio commentary, one of the two supplements to Morning Glory. The other is a deleted scene entitled "Shampoo Bottle," a 46-second expansion of a moment seen in the film between co-stars Diane Keaton and Ty Burrell. It is presented in high-definition.
Final Thoughts
I didn't plan on liking this movie as much as I did, but cinematic heart can make up for a multitude of clichés. And the audio and video didn't hurt either, with quality about as good as we could realistically expect.
Product Details
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