THE REWRITE
US, 2014, 107 minutes, Colour.
Hugh Grant, Marisa Tomei, J. K. Simmons, Chris Elliott, Bella Heathcote, Alison Janney, Caroline Aaron.
Directed by Marc Lawrence.
Somehow or, Hugh Grant is always the same in all his films. This did not matter to his fans, especially during the 1980s and 1990s. He could be the same Englishman in British films as well is in American films.
As he grew older, he appeared in fewer films, several of them directed by Marc Lawrence, Two Weeks Notice and Music and Lyrics. This is another Marc Lawrence film and another typical Hugh Grant comedy drama.
He plays a screenwriter who has won an award and enormous reputation for a film called Paradise Misplaced. Many years later, his wife has left him, his son lives away from him, he has not been able to write a sequel, his agent hounds him – and he takes up a temporary position at a small University in upstate New York. Even the weather is glum.
He makes several mistakes, begins a liaison with a student, Bella Heathcote, insults the professor of literature and expert on Jane Austen, Alison Janney, at a social, drinks, has to be reprimanded by the Dean, J. K. Simmons. He befriends his next-door neighbour, a Shakespearean expert, Chris Elliott.
As for his course, he does not know what to present, chooses candidates because of their good looks rather than their scripts, decides to ask them to meet a month later. Is he redeemable? The agent of redemption is a single mother, Marisa Tomei, who acts as a sort of challenge, conscience, mentor, guide. And, after several complications, all’s well that ends well.
1. An entertaining romantic comedy – for middle-aged audiences?
2. A Hugh Grant film, his screen presence over the decades? His type, manner, speaking, British – and variations on the style? Likeable?
3. The Los Angeles settings, Hollywood, filmmaking, agents? The contrast with the university town, New York State, the overcast weather, neighbours and the college, his rooms, social events, bookshop, restaurant? The musical school?
4. Keith in midlife, his initial success, Paradise Misplaced, his award – and looking at it on Youtube? Failures, down, the breakup of his marriage, distance from his son? His need for money? Consideration of the sequel but writers block?
5. The title, rewriting Keith’s life?
6. University, the reputation, the staff, the Dean, the professor and her love for Jane Austen, his neighbour and expertise on Shakespeare? The staff, the social, classes, the students, enrolling in his course? His having to read the script – and his avoiding this?
7. Keith, travelling to the town, hailed by the security guards for his film, his inappropriate joke? The meal, meeting the girls, drinking, taking Karen home, the sexual relationship, his neighbour seeing it? The repercussions, the rules, the Dean and his imposing the rules, the professor and her place on the Ethics Committee? The interactions with Karen, her strong stances, going to the restaurant, Holly asking Karen for the identification, her leaving? Her petulant behaviour in class? Holly and her insight about Karen and the need for affection from a father figure? Her incorporating this into her screenplay?
8. Keith, not teaching cancelling classes for a month? The professor urging him to go back to class? Is taking the role? Holly asking a question, its leading to his talking, his lies about the screenplay with Matt Damon, the phone calls from his agent? The professor accusing him of having chosen his students as if it were beauty contest? His apology to her, buying all the Jane Austen memorabilia?
9. Her character, dominance, alone, not liked, discussing brusquely with students about their work? Not liking cinema?
10. The Dean, friendly, his having been a Marine, his wife and four daughters, watching the chick flicks on television, the bets about his eyes watering when discussing his daughters? His being a stickler for the rules, his demands on Keith?
11. Holly, her studies, psychology, writing the script, her relationship with her children, the discussions with Keith, her verve, her being invited to the class after his reading of her screenplay, her question in the class, his beginning to talk, telling the story about Paradise Misplaced? Her story, Jerry? Her work at the shop, work at the restaurant and the encounter with Karen? His drinking, driving him home after taking him to the carousel and the location for Rod Serling’s Twilight episode? Later watching it in class? His seeing her dancing with the children?
12. Keith, beginning to explain screenwriting, the interactions with the students? The range of students, the boy and his obsession with Star Wars and his later being in hospital? The sullen Asian girl? The enthusiastic girl about Dirty Dancing? Karen and her southern presence? The other girls? The boy and his screenplay – and Keith telling this to his agent?
13. The visit to Los Angeles, taking the boy, presentation to the producers, his leaving the boy alone to fend for himself?
14. His decision to leave, discussions with the Dean, Holly urging him to stay, to explain? His visit to the professor, his plea, her accepting it, giving him her memoir – and for Meryl Streep to play her?
15. Holly, influencing him to leave a phone message for his son – and the final image of the son ringing back?
16. The enthusiasm of the class, affirmation, his future in Hollywood, the status of his sequel, the story the teacher for Matt Damon to play? His wanting to produce the boy’s screenplay?
17. The decision to stay, his telling the story to Holly – and his future in the town?
18. An enjoyable story for older audiences, crisis, getting the better of people, overcoming them? Recognising their abilities?
