Morning Glory
User Score
6.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 78
  3. Negative: 11 out of 78

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  1. Shiira
    Nov 16, 2010
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Contemporary films are edited to death. It's a criticism made over and over again, ad nauseum, by old people with long memories. In Robert Altman's "The Player", a security guard grouses to his much younger colleague about how "everything these days is all cut, cut, cut," citing Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil", with its long opening shot as a dramatic counterpoint to the chopping speed of modern movies, while they traverse the studio lot. Walter Stuckel(Fred Ward) remembers "Network", a filmic augury about the encroaching sensationalizing of broadcast journalism, which "Morning Glory" clearly descends from. While the sunny child birthed from Sidney Lumet's loins may have some of 1976's looks, along with 1987's congeniality(James Brooks raised it), "Morning Glory" differs in this very important aspect: the news industry's degradation into its current information/entertainment hybrid that both "Network" and "Broadcast News" prognosticated from their own respective eras were, at the time, still a laughing matter, extrapolative art which bore the habiliments of satire. Concerning the state of the news, "Morning Glory" is post-stupid, and has no qualms about it. The devil's minion doesn't carry a pitchfork, but give Becky Fuller(Rachel McAdams) time, and she will, as the producer of "Daybreak" helps drag the low-rated morning show to hell without any regard for the hallowed industry's past that she professes to love, all in the name of the bottom line: ratings, and the glory that comes along with the territory, ephemeral as it may be. Becky, a thoroughly modern update of the Faye Dunaway character in "Network", is a 24/7 workaholic with little room for a personal life, just like Diana Christensen, the programming chief for the UBS network, but since McAdams' character turns up in a light, breezy comedy, and can light up a room with her megawatt smile, unlike Dunaway's dour, lipsticked shark, the ramifications for the industry that follows Becky's success may not be as readily apparent. It's a crying shame that the tenacious woman settles for being a pawn of the status quo, rather than aim to be a proponent for change, because she's clearly dynamic enough to exact a revolution. Together with Mike Pomeroy(Harrison Ford), a lion in the news biz(cut from the same mode as Walter Cronkite) who takes the "Daybreak" gig for the money, Becky could restore news to the news division. And should their best-laid plans fail to procure traction with the general public, at least the producer can say she fought the good fight. Her utter competency, especially her hyper-ability to process information is the film's comic highlight, when Becky proves her mettle during a production meeting on her first day, in which she answers all of her staff's questions with rapid-fire economy, an exhilarating retort to the bombardment of information that seemingly overwhelms her. The MTV-style editing that Walter Stuckel hates is a reflection of her fast mind. More often than not, the camera's reluctance to linger on a subject for any length of time is purely a commercial matter, but in "Morning Glory", the conventional editing style is predicated on an adducible tangent; it prevents Becky from getting self-introspective. If this woman-on-the-go stopped for one second and examined the damage that she presides over on a daily basis, as the network news producer(played by Holly Hunter) does in "Broadcast News", in which the filmmaker utilizes a long take, time enough for Jane Craig to have a good cry, maybe she would have second thoughts about replacing the show's soporific segments from its prior incarnation with pure spectacle, and listen to Pomeroy's heeding for a return to old school journalism. Since the newsman's cries fall on deaf ears, more or less(the two, however, do reach a compromise that allows for SOME substance in the program), "Morning Glory" should have forewent the motions of a romantic comedy(by dropping the needless love interest, as played by Patrick Wilson), and mirrored the May/December romance between Dunaway and William Holden, by pairing up Becky with the older man, as well. Despite the sex, Max never compromised his integrity, as it pertained to his professional life, whereas Mike Pomeroy joins the riffraff, selling himself out through reinvention. Donning an apron for a cooking demonstration, a trusted voice in America's living rooms suddenly becomes a comradely one; he turns into Regis. Worse than Diane Christensen, Becky has a touch of evil that's even more insidious, more far-reaching Diane captured a groin. No biggie. Becky, however, captured a soul.… Expand
  2. kbell
    Nov 11, 2010
    10
    It has been a long time since I enjoyed a movie this much. While formulaic, the movie was still fun, and funny, with lots of positive energy. Rachel Mcadams leads an excellent cast doing fine work. I highly recommend this film.
  3. gwc
    Nov 13, 2010
    10
    This was a LOL movie. Rachel McAdams was wonderful. I never realized she had such comedic timing. She was the key to the movie's success. The audience seemed to love every minute of the movie. Go if you want to laugh.
  4. preciouskiki
    Nov 13, 2010
    9
    Jeff Goldblum's delightfully wry performance alone is worth the price of admission. It's fun, smart, fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. Every performance is excellent, but I particularly enjoyed Diane Keaton's performance. Rachel McAdams did a great job, too, and she looks stunning as a brunette.
  5. InfamousPrince
    Jan 7, 2011
    10
    Very good movie. Rachel McAdams did a great job, and frankly I think that this movie is really worth to watch, but that's just my opinion. I also think that this film would not be what it is that Harrison Ford is not in it. I sincerely recommend this movie to everybody who likes this kind of movies.
  6. Juanita2k8
    Dec 14, 2010
    10
    This was an extremely light-hearted movie at a time when there is undue stress from the Christmas season, when people are pulling at your heart-strings , not to mention the job situation for many unemployed. It seems to give a feeling of hope and inspiration, at a time most needed. Two thumbs up, Rachel McAdams. You seemed to be the golden thread that tied it all together.
  7. Khunter4382
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    Harrison Ford is in truly fine form here, along with everyone else. This film is so perfectly cast.....the players really make the film hard not to like. I found myself at times laughing so hard that tears came to my eyes, and yet there was enormous heart and deeply buried human emotion that fleshes out in this film. McAdams and Ford really hit a strong connection here in sort of a father/daughter sort of way. Keaton is priceless as the happy-go-lucky co-host who just so happens to be "game" for anything! What a great film!… Expand
  8. echoclarity
    Oct 30, 2011
    10
    this was an amazing movie wow, there was drama, humour, a roller coaster of emotions and i got to say Rachel McAdams was not only inspirational but simply spectacular in this movie, definitely a must watch movie.
  9. xahkdlys119
    Apr 10, 2012
    9
    Light-hearted and enjoyable. People are sure to walk out of the theatre with a satisfied smile. The performance of the cast is remarkable! It is worth watching!

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
57 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 38 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 38
  3. Negative: 1 out of 38
  1. Empire
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not credited)
    Jan 17, 2011
    80
    Every one of its cues might be tele-prompted, but this is an assured, likable comedy. Ford is as good as he's been in ages, but the stand-out is McAdams. If there were any justice, the movie would send her stellar.
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  2. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: David Denby
    Nov 15, 2010
    40
    Morning Glory has a depressed, rancid air. [22 Nov. 2010, p. 141]
  3. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    Nov 13, 2010
    60
    Morning Glory is a cut above most other recent light fare, but not a prime cut.
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