I can't help being charmed by Morning Glory despite its many flaws. This is one of those films that relies almost entirely on the performance of the main star, and Rachel McAdams is an actress that never fails to delight me. I adore the early scenes where she shows that she possesses all the chops necessary to run a successful talk show. The big question of the film, though, is can she coax a former primetime journalist into dropping some of his gruff exterior and working in the relaxed atmosphere of a morning show. The casting of Harrison Ford to play this antagonistic force of the film was kind of perfect because in his old age he often comes off as someone who lacks interest in the projects he works on, which can feel like someone who's thinking "I'm too good for this!" Since that is the exact opinion of the character he's playing for most of the film, it is a spot-on role for him. However, this is also a bit of a double-edged sword, because Ford lacked some of the softness that was needed to make the final scenes fully satisfying.
Another area where Morning Glory struggled was in the romance angle. There was no real place for this entire subplot in the film, and it didn't go anywhere. It is just a perfunctory element that it seems the writers shoved into the film because that's what is expected from this type of movie. We have a career-focused woman who dedicates her life to her work, so of course she needs a man! They don't even go anywhere with the whole workaholic angle of the story, which I appreciate, but then why is it in the film at all? There are a number of ways Morning Glory could have been better, but I still can't help liking it. I know that is illogical, and I don't mind if everyone else in the world hates the film, because they'd have plenty of reasons for it. For me some of the comedy was quite effective, and I love the entire cast. In fact, I found myself wanting more. I would have been happy if the movie was longer, or if this was the pilot for a TV series, and that's not how I typically feel. Perhaps it's that Rachel McAdams magic which kept me smiling and made Morning Glory a movie I'll watch again.
Another area where Morning Glory struggled was in the romance angle. There was no real place for this entire subplot in the film, and it didn't go anywhere. It is just a perfunctory element that it seems the writers shoved into the film because that's what is expected from this type of movie. We have a career-focused woman who dedicates her life to her work, so of course she needs a man! They don't even go anywhere with the whole workaholic angle of the story, which I appreciate, but then why is it in the film at all? There are a number of ways Morning Glory could have been better, but I still can't help liking it. I know that is illogical, and I don't mind if everyone else in the world hates the film, because they'd have plenty of reasons for it. For me some of the comedy was quite effective, and I love the entire cast. In fact, I found myself wanting more. I would have been happy if the movie was longer, or if this was the pilot for a TV series, and that's not how I typically feel. Perhaps it's that Rachel McAdams magic which kept me smiling and made Morning Glory a movie I'll watch again.