Music and Lyrics (2007) -vs- Wimbledon (2004)

Review by Lauren Zabel

The Smackdown. Both films include the formula for a great romantic comedy-- boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and boy gets girl-- but with a twist. In both “Music and Lyrics” and “Wimbledon,” the boy is an older, self-deprecating, British man who by chance meets a younger, quirky American girl, who inspires them greatly in their respective careers. This inspiration translates into love, whether it’s on the tennis court or on the musical stage.

"Put your hands back on the keyboard or we'll lose the PG-13."

The Challenger. Both times I have seen “Music and Lyrics” in theaters, I have been accompanied by large groups of girls, which definitely solidifies it in the genre of romantic comedy. But now, really, who wouldn’t want to go see Hugh Grant? I mean, Drew Barrymore, too? The movie revolves around the life and career of faded 80’s superstar, Alex Fletcher, as played by Grant. With his solo album tanking and his cancelled gigs, Fletcher is in quite a predicament. Then walks in Sophie Fischer, as played by Barrymore, to water Fletcher’s plants. As it turns out, these plants grow the relationship to where Sophie becomes Alex's musical muse and love interest.

"Was that match point as good for you as it was for me?"

The Defending Champion. Another movie I have seen countless times is “Wimbledon,” and I still don’t understand the game of tennis! “Wimbledon” tells the story of a washed up and old British tennis pro, Peter Colt, played by Paul Bettany, who is entering his last Wimbledon of his career. As a perk of playing in the tournament, Colt gets a hotel room, which he walks into with amazement. It’s a lot bigger than he expected, which leads him to see Lizzie Bradbury, as played by Kirsten Dunst, in the shower. Realizing the hotel mix-up, he apologizes but intrigued by this younger, American tennis pro, he asks her to dinner. After their first date, Colt plays an amazing game of tennis and wins. Bradbury is his muse and he cannot get enough of her until he wins all of Wimbledon!

The Scorecard. The absolute charm of “Music and Lyrics” is obvious by its title-- the musical score. Each song reveals more development of its character, whether its being a major hit from Pop, or the 80s band that washed away Grant, or it’s a sweet new love ballad between its leads. You can’t help but dance in your seat, laugh at Grant’s hip popping and thrusting, and sing along to the catchy tunes! Compared to the obvious title of “Wimbledon,” you are getting everything for face value. Through the underdog story of its leader character, you get some cliché tennis analogies for love and a couple declarations of it too. Yet it still does not include its audience in the process of falling in love as much as it includes it in the understanding of the fear of falling in love. The movie’s main theme is fear, whether it’s choking on the tennis court or denying your true feelings for someone because of your father’s disapproval.

The Decision. “Wimbledon” feels like you’ve seen it before; it’s a dramatic sports movie with a love story, whereas “Music and Lyrics” feels fresh and innovative through its musical numbers. So, if you you're looking to find love with an older British man of a certain wit, shall we say, there's just no one out there who can make you like him more -- even when he's playing a man with 'issues' -- than Hugh Grant. I really don't care to know what he did on Sunset Boulevard. That was a long time ago. And after you go and see how adorable he continues to be in “Music and Lyrics," make sure to stop and get the soundtrack because it, as well as the movie, is unforgettable!