Morning Glory (2010)

An upstart television producer accepts the challenge of reviving a struggling morning show program with warring co-hosts.

Director:

Roger Michell

Writer:

Aline Brosh McKenna

Stars:

Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rachel McAdams	...	Becky
Noah Bean	...	First Date
Jack Davidson	...	Dog Walking Neighbor
Vanessa Aspillaga	...	Anna
Jeff Hiller	...	Sam - Channel 9 Producer
Linda Powell	...	Louanne
Mike Hydeck	...	Ralph
Joseph J. Vargas	...	Channel 9 Director
Mario Frieson	...	Channel 9 Technical Director
Kevin Herbst	...	Channel 9 Associate Director
Jerome Weinstein	...	Fred
Steve Park	...	Channel 9 Weatherperson (as Stephen Park)
David Fonteno	...	Oscar
Patti D'Arbanville	...	Becky's Mom
Jeff Goldblum	...	Jerry Barnes

Storyline

Becky (Rachel McAdams) is a hard-working morning TV show producer, or at least she was until she got fired. Desperate to get a job, she finally gets an interview with Jerry (Jeff Goldblum) - who is desperate to hire a producer for the struggling show "Daybreak". Becky accepts the job and it proves to be more difficult than even she might be able to handle. She has to fire the sexist co-host, then try to convince egotistical news reporter, Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford), to take the job, and then try and get him to actually do the job, properly. And she has to do this while falling for handsome Adam (Patrick Wilson), and trying to save the show from plummeting ratings. Will Becky be able to hold on to her dream job and her sanity?

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Plot Keywords:

television | working woman | professional woman | coming of age | woman with glasses | 

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Taglines:

Breakfast TV Just Got Interesting

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Ukrainian

Release Date:

10 November 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un despertar glorioso

Filming Locations:

Schiller's Liquor Bar, 131 Rivington Street, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£524,356 (UK) (21 January 2011)

Gross:

£1,041,623 (UK) (28 January 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bad Robot, Goldcrest Pictures

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many of the news broadcasts shown in the movie are actual stories aired during the Iowa Floods of 2008. Cedar Rapids is the city mentioned on one of the shows in the background where 400 city blocks were under water.

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Goofs

When Becky confronts Pomeroy in the studio before the cameras go live, there is supposedly live feed of her on the monitors attached to the cameras. Her movements don't even remotely match what she's actually doing.

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Quotes

Mike Pomeroy: Nobody really cares that I can do this job, but... but I can. I wanted you to see that.
Becky Fuller: That was a great story, Mike. That was... that was better than a great story, that was great television. I mean, that was bran with a donut. A bran donut.
Mike Pomeroy: I've got a grandkid. Did you know that? Alexander. I haven't seen him since I got fired. I was embarrassed... after all I'd accomplished. And then to... come back to the news... this way. The truth is, I'd... I'd screwed up with my kids way before I got ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.130 (2013)

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Soundtracks

Incredible
Written by Joss Stone, Jonathan Shorten, Richie Stevens, Paddy Milner, Michael Bowes, Nikolaj Juel, Colin Hickson & Pete Cherry
Performed by Joss Stone
Courtesy of Virgin Records Ltd

User Reviews

Thank you bright morning for your splendor!

Morning Glory is a splendid work of film making, comprised of a winning storyline and characters we come to care about. Hats off to the writers, as the script really gives the movie a shot of adrenaline and reels you in. I consider it one of the year's finer comedies in an environment where abrasive humor seems to draw people in droves. What Morning Glory isn't is a romantic comedy or a "chick flick", as what we are tending to see on the previews. Rather, a story of an executive producer determined to turn around a dying TV show in comic fashion.

Rachel McAdams plays Becky Fuller, a laid-off executive producer scratching and clawing for a new job in the industry. She comes across a network station at the bottom of the totem pole and sees her chance. Working with Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) and Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) as her 2 co-hosts, the challenge just begins when she starts her plan to increase the show's viewer count.

McAdams' character Becky Fuller is inspired, the hard charging workaholic personality, on the laptop late at night searching for that next breaking news story. Of course, by working all the time, her social life is nonexistent. Her energy and optimism is infectious, as she impresses us with on her first day taking many drastic measures needed to make the station better. We come to root for her as she faces complacency and apathy all around her, she rises above it and we watch with bated breath to see what she'll do next. She is very diplomatic and manages to deal with all sorts of personalities for the betterment of the show.

Harrison Ford redeems himself from his role as a scientist in the year's earlier flop "Extraordinary Measures". He portrays Mike Pomeroy, the seasoned news anchor who only does the big stories. His comments about famous people he's interviewed in the past and now has to do a silly morning TV show arouse laughs. Pomeroy is the gruff seasoned veteran of the show, stiff and stern, and brings a prima donna attitude in with him -that he has standards and much of what is requested by Fuller is simply beneath him. Pomeroy comes to change his character to someone more likable by the time the film ends. Pomeroy's best moments are no doubt when he is putting down his co-host. The adversarial relationship between he and Peck is all too fun to watch. One of the finer moments with Pomeroy we discover that his workaholic mentality voided him of any close family relationships, and we feel for him, hoping that Fuller will take his wisdom and adjust her approach.

Diane Keaton plays Colleen Peck, the primary face of the show, who has been through all the changes over the years, including 15 different executive producers. She is skeptical of Fuller because of how terrible the show is and beyond help, and believes there is no hope. Peck is lively and shoots back at Pomeroy's comments with her own zingers. She is willing and receptive to Fuller's ideas to improve the show, and shows us her zeal by stepping out on faith with the new changes. Definitely one of the gems in the movie and a true pleasure to watch.

There is no doubt magic and chemistry in the air with the strength of the cast. It is fun to watch Pomeroy drive Peck and Fuller nuts, and the sparring co-hosts bring a lively and light mood to the film. We come to care about what Fuller is trying to do, and root her on as she encounters what seems to be insurmountable odds. This is a feel-good inspirational story that builds from the very beginning, never back-pedalling, with a minor romantic element added in.

8/10 stars