Music and Lyrics... and a waste of time

My freelance review:

"Music and Lyrics," the new comedy starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, is the kind of movie that gives comedies a bad name.

Hugh Grant plays a washed-up has-been from an 80's pop band who is offered a comeback opportunity to write a duet for a Britney Spears-like pop sensation.

Enter Drew Barrymore as a klutz possessing an undiscovered, natural born talent of writing song lyrics. Grant conveniently stumbles upon her and she, of course, becomes his love interest. Kinda creepy if you ask me. She looks like she could have played his daughter. Or granddaughter. Okay, maybe just daughter.

Throw in some former TV stars for padding. Brad Garrett -- so funny in "Everybody Loves Raymond" -- seems to be avoiding any typecasting by not even trying to be funny here. And Kristen Johnston -- so unfunny in "Third Rock from the Sun" -- is just as unfunny here.

The writers took an awkward, highly-episodic route to stretch the thin plot over what seemed like much longer than 96 minutes. Especially frustrating was that while the movie could have ended at any of several different points, it didn't.

And then there's the banter between Grant and Barrymore. Very rough stuff here -- like a quickly thrown together first draft of what could have evolved into crisper and funnier dialog.

And then there's the music. Oh my. Remember when the Brady Bunch kids started singing those sappy songs? The music and lyrics in this flick triggered some scary, scary, scary flashbacks for me.

This movie is being released on Valentine's Day, with the studio undoubtedly hoping to rake in some cash from the date crowd. But do your valentine a big favor and do anything but see this mess of a movie.