Music and Lyrics
Might contain spoilers.
Such a delight. As in Notting Hill nine years prior, the frankly superhuman charm of Hugh Grant carries the day:[1] Sophie isn’t unlikable, but neither is she unusually appealing. The supporting characters are all enjoyable: Sophie’s sister Rhonda, Brad Garrett as Chris, Jason Antoon as Greg the other lyricist, and a fearless Haley Bennett as Cora.
The music truly is the backbone of the film. ‘PoP! Goes My Heart’ is both a perfect parody of ’80s music and videos and a classic in its own right. ‘Way Back Into Love’ is, appropriately enough, a lovely song. Alex’s singing is believably simple and pleasant.
I like how muted Alex and Sophie’s big fight is, in keeping with the gentle tone of the film, but it also feels a bit forced. Alex telling her she really is that fictional version of herself from the book is disproportionately cruel, all the more so for how lovable he otherwise is.
- As my sister pointed out, the problem with Hugh Grant is that he’s always more charming than his co-stars.↩