The Rewrite (2014 movie) review

I had no knowledge of this movie going in, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  In some ways, it is the better way to go, but it isn't an opportunity that presents itself very often.

The movie follows Keith Michaels (Hugh Grant), a down on his luck screen writer who is forced to take a teaching job to keep the lights on.  While he has a successful movie under his belt, he is not a likely candidate.  He is quite upfront about his lack of respect for the profession and is rather blunt about the fact that talent can't be taught.

The character allows Grant to play on interesting twist on his usual character archetype.  He usually plays people who are awkward due to being so painfully shy.  Here, he's still awkward, but it's more curmudgeonly.  He doesn't get along well with most people and it leads to the movie's funnier moments.

Michaels does have a definitive arc, which works to the movie's advantage.  In taking the job, he manages to help his students and reawaken his love of the craft.  It could easily come off as corny (especially when Michaels comments that his students ended up teaching him) but it was well handled.

By and large, this is Hugh Grant's movie, but he does have a strong supporting cast that manages to give life to characters that don't have a whole lot of screen time. As always, J.K. Simmons is fantastic, but we also get strong performances from Chris Elliot, Marisa Tomei, and Allison Janney.

Sadly, Tomei's character is a bit underdeveloped.  Her primary role is to be the more optimistic foil to Grant's cynical protagonist.  It leads to some nice biplay, but the romance isn't as strong as it could have been.

While the movie has a run time of only an hour and 40 minutes, I did feel like it dragged a bit at points.  That run time is hardly excessive, but they probably could have shaved a few minutes off of that to streamline things a bit.

The movie isn't uproariously funny, but the dialogue is quick and snappy.  You will find yourself laughing rather frequently, so it succeeds in that regard.

Overall, I found it rather enjoyable.  It has its faults, but the strong cast, humor, and clear character arc made this a movie that I would recommend checking out if you have the chance.

                       



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