Randomly watched this...

I randomly watched this last night, and it was pretty good! A feel good comedy, that goes down really smooth. Even the cliche dramatic part, wasn't all that dramatic. I actually can kind of understand why some have said this film bores them. It kind of moves at a slow pace, and is a really safe film.

But that's also why I really liked it. I think the two leads obviously nailed it. They are what make the film work. If you come to like them, and buy into that relationship, then the rest of the film is just a pleasant ride. It's vanilla.

The only issues I had with the movie is:

* Drew Barrymore's character is made out to be weirdly overly "quirky" in the beginning. To the point that, I thought I was gonna hate the movie at first. Her character rambles and is all over the place. And has weird mannerisms, just to be unique and different. It just felt a little forced. Like either she's crazy (because that's how hard they were pushing these quirks), or the film is trying too hard to go: see, she's different!

Thankfully, the movie pivots from this, and her character becomes more normal (where the quirks are pushed to the back).

* The song they write, doesn't sound like a pop song that would make it on the radio. While I think there song is cute and pretty, and certainly catchy, it sounds more like a highschool cabaret. The film goes to great lengths to lampoon the music industry, and actually does a pretty good job making imitations of music that exists (Cora is actually pretty spot on. They exaggerate at first, but her opening song at her concert was very believable).

Hell, even all of the 80's songs they wrote for this film, actually were pretty spot on. But something about the song they write, just seems....childish. And I guess that is apart of the point. In contrast to the over produced/formulaic sexual crap Cora writes, this is something very honest etc. But I dunno. Just had a hard time seeing that song being a single on the radio.

* I'm not sure there needed to be a romance?

Hear me out! I love romance, believe me. If there is one thing I'll admit, as a woman - I get giddy for romances. I don't know why. But I do. But when I think back on this movie, I'm just not sure the relationship that was being formed in this movie, even made sense to be a romance. It seemed more like a student and mentor relationship (with the cliche twist being, the student was really the one teaching). It seemed to be about someone that was afraid to write, but who's writing inspired someone that couldn't write anymore.

I just feel like what the movie was setting up, wasn't about romance.

But maybe I'm just biased. I am a professional musician, and have worked in the music industry (currently work in the film industry). But at least to me, the most powerful thing about writing music, is when you are able to write with another person. When you are able to share emotions through music and writing. And the moment where you and someone else are able to actually build off a song together and play together, that is really amazing.

And to me, that is one aspect of this film that really shines. And given that Alex Fletcher's plot is about being a "has been", and accepting a worse fate for himself artistically, and given that Sophie's plot is about not being afraid to write and show the world who she is (her creative art and emotions), I guess I just failed to see where the romance comes in.

I don't actually hate it. Because the two leads have chemistry. I'm just saying, it felt kind of forced?