Morning Glory (2010)

IMDb plot summary: An upstart television producer accepts the challenge of reviving a struggling morning show program with warring co-hosts.

Directed by Roger Michell. Stars Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, and Diane Keaton.

Morning Glory stars Rachel McAdam as the newest executive producer of the lowest-ranked morning TV program in the nation. She jumps in trying to find ways to boost the ratings, including hiring a legendary journalist, played by Harrison Ford, as the new anchorman. Ford is irritated to be doing new shows that he feels are beneath him and his level of expertise, and everything starts going wrong. This movie is a very simple and straightforward comedy drama without a lot of surprises in it, but it's sweet and works for me most of the time. I think I have to give most of the credit for that to Rachel McAdams, who really excels in this role. Her character is clearly neurodivergent coded while also being extremely competent at her job, even if she struggles in social situations. Harrison Ford does the same character he basically always does these days: grumpy old man who turns out to maybe have a heart. While that can sometimes be tedious, he has good foils here to bounce off of in McAdams and Diane Keaton, who make his schtick land a little better. The pacing of the film is also a particularly good, with each scene going on just long enough to keep us engaged without wearing out its welcome. Even though you know exactly how the story is ultimately going to play out, it keeps you engaged and wanting to watch more of it because you want to see what it's going to look like as it goes. A pleasant surprise.

How it entered my Flickchart:

🎥 Morning Glory (2010)

📊 Ranked #1105/4047 on my Flickchart

🎯 Flickscore™: 73

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