did you hear about the morgans?

in many ways i enjoyed did you hear about the morgans? more than it's competition, "it's complicated".  mostly becuase morgans delivered. "comlicated" did not- see earlier review. granted "morgans" has less to offer but it doesn't drop the ball once.  "it's complicated" had so much potential yet the sky was raining basketballs.

hugh grant and sarah jessica parker (for ease i call her serica) are two new yorkers who go into the witness protection program and are sent to live with sam elliot and mary steenburgen in wyoming.  we've seen this plot line twice lately in "the proposal" with sandra bullock and "new in town" with renee zellweger as two displaced big city people who are very angry and don't adjust to life outside manhatten.  most of those movies are about teaching them humility and life in the real world.  in "morgans", hugh and serica handle their situation with grace, respect, and humor- which is new.  sam and mary play a married couple in love with each other and their chosen lifestyle without being cartoonish (see betty white in "the proposal" or better yet don't).

the script is simple and tight. there's not only the main plot line, but a secondary story line, as well as intersecting stories.  these people actually interact and effect one another! i swear hugh grant has his own scriptwriter who follows him from film to film because he can always be counted on for wry humorous quips. serica does a good job as the wounded wife- very understated.  there's an appearance by wilford brimley, (love him) that just worries me- he looks bloated, uncomfortable and orange.

due to all the oscar worthy movies thrown at us at the end of the year, "morgans" should be closer to the bottom of you movie going list.  but definitely put it on your rental list.  it's a romantic comedy that's worth watching and that is sadly so rare.