I'm not sure many people went to see The Rewrite. It received such little buzz that I was completely unaware of its existence. I've been hoping that Grant, who really had a long, A-list movie career in romantic comedies such as Four Weddings and A Funeral, Notting Hill, A Boy's Life, and Two Weeks Notice, would eventually rebound in something that required him stretch his talents. Earlier in his career he had done wonderful work before his rom- com success. Loved him Impromptu where he played the neurasthenic Frederic Chopin, and he was truly tragic as the high born British private school student in love with a fellow student who forsakes his homosexuality because it is not acceptable in his society. But I think the actor who charmed us in Love, Actually and was a pleasurable louse in Bridget Jones's Diary, has put his work on auto-pilot of late. Music and Lyric and Did You Hear About the Morgans? were pretty lazy movies, where he seemed to be in a coma. I thought his lack of a film profile of late indicated a desire to withdraw, or maybe he might explore edgier dramatic territory. So here he is, back in rom-com land, but with a bit more substance.
The Rewrite is actually more About a Boy than Four Weddings and a Funeral or Notting Hill. The worn out screenwriter who can't get screen work grabs at a job teaching in Binghamton, New York. He hasn't got a clue what's involved, thinking he can breeze right through it. He chooses his screen writing students based on their photos. He doesn't read their work and is constantly snide and snarky. He a bit of an arrogant chauvinist, offending the school's Jane Austen scholar (Allison Janney, a genius character actor who deserves her wonderful success). The equally wonderful JK Simmons offers one of his sharply observed characters as the head of the department, who is constantly reminding our hero that he is married with four daughters (shades of Jane Austen). Chris Elliott is a fellow teacher and his landlord. All these fine performers are here to gently remind our hero that he's an ass and needs to figure things out.
Enter the glorious Marisa Tomei as a single mother of two daughters who is a sophomore attending his screen writing class. it is her job to make sure our professor sees that his life isn't working. If all this seems a tad predictable, credit director/screenwriter, Marc Lawrence for his light but sure touch with the material. Grant is droll and funny and really engaging here. Tomei is such a wonderful film actress. She continues to offer great work in movies. May she make movies forever.
By all means try to rent or see The Rewrite. Nice to see Mr. Grant in such fine form again. Welcome back.
His agent (played by the wonderful Caroline Aaron),
The Rewrite is actually more About a Boy than Four Weddings and a Funeral or Notting Hill. The worn out screenwriter who can't get screen work grabs at a job teaching in Binghamton, New York. He hasn't got a clue what's involved, thinking he can breeze right through it. He chooses his screen writing students based on their photos. He doesn't read their work and is constantly snide and snarky. He a bit of an arrogant chauvinist, offending the school's Jane Austen scholar (Allison Janney, a genius character actor who deserves her wonderful success). The equally wonderful JK Simmons offers one of his sharply observed characters as the head of the department, who is constantly reminding our hero that he is married with four daughters (shades of Jane Austen). Chris Elliott is a fellow teacher and his landlord. All these fine performers are here to gently remind our hero that he's an ass and needs to figure things out.
Enter the glorious Marisa Tomei as a single mother of two daughters who is a sophomore attending his screen writing class. it is her job to make sure our professor sees that his life isn't working. If all this seems a tad predictable, credit director/screenwriter, Marc Lawrence for his light but sure touch with the material. Grant is droll and funny and really engaging here. Tomei is such a wonderful film actress. She continues to offer great work in movies. May she make movies forever.
By all means try to rent or see The Rewrite. Nice to see Mr. Grant in such fine form again. Welcome back.
His agent (played by the wonderful Caroline Aaron),