Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)

Starring: Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, Elisabeth Moss, Wilford Brimley, David Call, Michael Kelly, Jesse Liebman

Director: Marc Lawrence

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Rating: C

This is another one of those movies that really isn’t good, but at the same time is enjoyable to watch.  My recommendation is if you don’t spend too much time thinking about it, movies like Did You Hear About the Morgans? are a lot better than you would expect.

Paul (Grant) and Meryl (Parker) Morgan are a high power Manhattan couple who have separated due to Paul’s previous infidelity.  Paul is determined to rekindle their relationship, while Meryl is very reluctant to do so – in addition to the infidelity, she desires to adopt a child, while Paul grew distant while they were attempting to adopt.  Then, one night following dinner, Paul and Morgan witness a murder and are put into protective custody.  When it becomes clear that the police are unable to hide them on an island populated by 1.5 million people, they are put into the witness protection system and relocated to Ray, Wyoming, where the pose as the cousins of local sheriff (Elliott) and his deputy and wife (Steenburgen).

Okay, so the entire premise of Morgans is ridiculous and over the top.  From them having seen the murder in general to the reasoning for them to go to Wyoming, to everything that happens to them once they’re in Wyoming.  It’s all just ridiculous.  There are plenty of more logical places that they would have been moved and even the idea of moving them alone is just a bit contrived.  That having been said, if you put the idea that this is all ridiculous aside, it’s fun and cute.  Sarah Jessica Parker is not the best actress, but Hugh Grant is very skilled at carrying weaker actors – it’s a real talent that he has.  He also has a way of making you not realize that the plot is ridiculous, contrived, and predictable.  I might be a bit biased; I think I could watch just about anything that had Hugh Grant in it.  He’s just that good at the lame romantic comedy, which describes Did You Hear About the Morgans? rather perfectly.

It’s not all just Hugh Grant, though.  The side characters are as good as he is.  I loved Elliot and Steenburgen in this and even had the idea that at one point they were just like Paul and Meryl Morgan – two city slickers who were put into the witness protection and let it change them.  While this was never actually said in the movie it’s the background for them that I’ve made up.  Paul and Meryl’s assistants, Jackie Drake (Moss) and Adam Feller (Liebman), are also interesting characters, although a bit more predictable.  It’s nice to see Moss expand beyond her role in Mad Men, although this isn’t exactly a step forward.  What can I say, I enjoyed this movie no matter how much I probably shouldn’t have.