You know that MORNING GLORY is pure fiction when the lowest rated network TV news show pairs a couple of has beens like Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford to try and breathe life back into the ratings.
Would never happen in real television.
But that’s what’s in store when perky 28 year old Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) is hired by news boss Jeff Goldblum to become IBS-TV’s lackluster Daybreak’s new executive producer.
The male co-hosts to the program’s female anchor and former Arizona beauty queen Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) have been on a revolving door basis.
What will Becky do with the show? And more importantly, who will she now place into the anchor chair next to Keaton?
That’s when a lightbulb goes off in her head.
The network’s aging and recently relieved star of the evening news Mike Pomeroy—shades of Dan Rather—is still contractually connected to IBS and Becky not only finds a loophole in his contract but convinces him to take the morning gig.
He of course hates everything connected with the show. The fluffy celebrity pieces, food and fashion segments—the pure unadulterated fluff that is morning TV.
Not to mention the poor weatherman (Matt Malloy) who’s about to have a stroke after Becky forces him to present the weather jackass-style, like from a roller coaster and while skydiving.
You get the picture.
All that plus a shaky in-house romance between Rachel McAdams and news magazine segment producer Patrick Wilson, and some very familiar CBS talent pool cameos throughout the comedy.
So what is MORNING GLORY really about?
For my money it’s Mary Tyler Moore meets Anchorman. Just not as edgy and tailored more to female audiences.
That’s not to say that the guys won’t enjoy it because judging by our preview audience they really got into it as well.
Some nice twists and turns along the way all make for a pleasant enough hour and 50 minutes at the movies.
This week’s MORNING GLORY – from the director of NOTTING HILL and screenwriter of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – opens to 3-1/2 out of 5 bitchy fingers attached to legends in their own minds.
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES in the media: Friday mornings on KMBZ / KUDL / and KXTR.And anytime on Time Warner Cable’s ‘K.C. On Demand’-Channel 113.
