Hugh Grant, a Hollywood screenwriter in a slump, takes a temporary job teaching a class in creative writing at State University of New York, Binghamtom. He has no interest in teaching or in literature. He believes that the talent and the motive are inherent. So he treats his class in the most cavalier manner. To select the ten student whose manuscript writing he will monitor, he checks all the applicants out on the internet and chooses all beautiful young girls -- except for two guys who look like complete losers; one a kid who "aspires to Nerd" and the other a Star Wars freak who can think of nothing else.
It's been a long time since I've heard such clever writing in a comedy and the dithering Hugh Grant is just the man to handle it perfectly. The offenses roll off that British tongue with insouciance. He gets drunk at a faculty wine and cheese affair and insults Allison Janney, who teaches Jane Austen and is head of the Ethics Committee.
He offhandedly tells Janney (who towers over him menacingly) that Jane Austen and all that "women's empowerment" is a lot of baloney. It doesn't help that he's been picked up and sacked out with one of his most beautiful students, Bella Heathcote, and Janney discovers it.
At the first meeting of the class, his students are to write a three-act screenplay by the end of the term. He tells the stunned class politely but firmly that their first assignment is to write Act One and they'll meet again in a month to go over the manuscripts.
I thought the first half was hilarious. The supporting cast was also splendid, especially J. K. Simmons, the administrator whose entire family has gone vegan and won't permit him to bring meat into the house. It's one funny exchange after another.
Then, Act Two. It slows down. Marisa Tomei, who is closer to Grant's age, appears as his student and her only function seems to be to provide Grant with a less cynical view of life. Pretty ominous stuff.
And it gets worse. Grant learns from his students and devotes himself to teaching them. He gives up his Hollywood agent and joins the Binghamtom community, having learned that a good heart leadeth to wisdom and freedom from ulcers and a nice lady like Marisa Tomei. It's ironic that in the beginning he ridicules "The Dead Poets Society" and then lives out much of the same trajectory.
Too many comedies turn serious and become "about something." It's nice to have a comedy whose only ambition is -- not to teach us something, but only to entertain us and make us laugh. "The In Laws" are a good example. I can't help wondering if it takes more skill to make a straight comedy or less ego. Oh, how I dislike being preached to.
It's been a long time since I've heard such clever writing in a comedy and the dithering Hugh Grant is just the man to handle it perfectly. The offenses roll off that British tongue with insouciance. He gets drunk at a faculty wine and cheese affair and insults Allison Janney, who teaches Jane Austen and is head of the Ethics Committee.
He offhandedly tells Janney (who towers over him menacingly) that Jane Austen and all that "women's empowerment" is a lot of baloney. It doesn't help that he's been picked up and sacked out with one of his most beautiful students, Bella Heathcote, and Janney discovers it.
At the first meeting of the class, his students are to write a three-act screenplay by the end of the term. He tells the stunned class politely but firmly that their first assignment is to write Act One and they'll meet again in a month to go over the manuscripts.
I thought the first half was hilarious. The supporting cast was also splendid, especially J. K. Simmons, the administrator whose entire family has gone vegan and won't permit him to bring meat into the house. It's one funny exchange after another.
Then, Act Two. It slows down. Marisa Tomei, who is closer to Grant's age, appears as his student and her only function seems to be to provide Grant with a less cynical view of life. Pretty ominous stuff.
And it gets worse. Grant learns from his students and devotes himself to teaching them. He gives up his Hollywood agent and joins the Binghamtom community, having learned that a good heart leadeth to wisdom and freedom from ulcers and a nice lady like Marisa Tomei. It's ironic that in the beginning he ridicules "The Dead Poets Society" and then lives out much of the same trajectory.
Too many comedies turn serious and become "about something." It's nice to have a comedy whose only ambition is -- not to teach us something, but only to entertain us and make us laugh. "The In Laws" are a good example. I can't help wondering if it takes more skill to make a straight comedy or less ego. Oh, how I dislike being preached to.