Not So Good Morning

The intermittently funny Morning Glory admirably subverts convention by focusing on a woman’s romance – not with a man, but with her career. Workaholic producer Becky (Rachel McAdams) loses her job in New Jersey and talks her way into a high-stress gig producing a failing New York morning show. She persuades irritable TV-news veteran Mike (Harrison Ford) to co-anchor the lightweight chat show with Colleen (Diane Keaton). The movie mines its laughs from Emmy-winning Mike’s stony refusal to stoop to the level of morning TV, with its mindless celebrity news and cooking demonstrations. Playing Mike as David Brinkley by way of Clint Eastwood, Ford somewhat overdoes the crusty character, but at least Morning Glory has the good taste to avoid a May-December romance between him and McAdams. The movie is best focusing on the high-wire act of live TV. Still, McAdams’ scattered, arm-flailing demeanor is too airy to carry the comedy, and her character, who essentially succeeds by dumbing down the show, is hardly an admirable symbol of professional integrity. --Pamela Zoslov