Full Review

"Music and Lyrics" (Warner Bros.) is a likable, if featherweight, romantic comedy about Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant), a washed-up 1980s pop star commissioned to write a song for Cora Corman (Haley Bennett), a reigning pop diva in the Britney Spears mold.

If his song is chosen, he will get to sing it with her at New York's Madison Square Garden, a step up from his current gigs at theme parks.

He hires a lyricist who proves incompatible, but then discovers that his plant lady, Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), has a natural talent for lyric writing, so he enlists her help, and of course they fall in love in the process.

But Sophie is at first a reluctant collaborator, and emotionally fragile after her smarmy ex-writing professor, Sloan Cates (Campbell Scott), with whom she was romantically involved, has penned a best-selling novel which plainly includes an unflattering portrait of her, implying she's devoid of talent.

Apart from a single implied premarital encounter (which necessitates the A-III classification) -- Alex and Sophie kiss, fade to black, and then it's the morning after, and they emerge from under the piano in a partial state of undress -- writer-director Marc Lawrence's film is mostly devoid of objectionable elements, making this generally acceptable for older adolescents.

The two leads are effortlessly charming (Grant in particular being as skillful in this sort of thing as another Grant -- Cary), and there's nice work from Brad Garrett as Alex's loyal manager, and Kristen Johnston as Sophie's protective big sister, who once had a huge crush on Alex. The colorful New York location shooting is another plus.

There's a refreshing absence of romantic conflict, which can often be so tiresome in this genre, though the pair do briefly have a falling out about what Sophie perceives as Alex selling out to Cora's demands for new lyrics, and an inappropriately "steamy" rendition. Along with a nice message about real values and believing in oneself, there are some sharp barbs about the music business (including an amusing MTV-style music video showing Alex's former group, PoP, in their 1980s heyday). More pointed wit would not have been amiss.

The film contains the aforementioned tryst, some skimpy costuming and gyrating moves from the pop star, a brief physical scuffle and mild sexual banter and innuendo. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

These movies have been evaluated for artistic merit and moral suitability by the media reviewing division of Catholic News Service. The reviews include the CNS rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

A-I -- general patronage;
A-II -- adults and adolescents;
A-III -- adults;
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
O -- morally offensive.

Note: Some movies previously were designated A-IV. Older films with this classification should be regarded as classified L.