Marc Lawrence
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Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) was a superstar in the '80s, as he was part of one of the most beloved boy bands among teenagers at that time: the Pop!. But suddenly, the usual muscle-bound, blue-eyed leader leaves the group, pushed by a new manager to build a solo career.

So Alex finds himself catapulted overnight away from the world of the spotlight, and now, in 2007, the only places where he performs are truly unexciting events like country fairs and events dedicated solely to '80s stars, attended only by women in their fifties on the verge of menopause.

But suddenly, the opportunity of his life presents itself: he has to write a duet to sing with one of his biggest fans: the hyper-commercial pop diva of the moment, Cora Corman, a singer "more famous than Christina and Britney put together" who turns erotic dances and far-from-innocent lyrics into displays of pure spiritual devotion. Only problem? He hasn't written a song in a long time, and now the only things that come to mind are fairly convincing backgrounds and bizarre rhymes like "dove sia-autopsia."

One day, however, a substitute gardener named Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore) shows up at his house, revealing herself to be quite adept at composing lyrics. So this quirky couple starts writing together this song that Alex is counting on for his comeback success.

This is, in short, the plot of the comedy that unexpectedly broke the box office (€1,268,000 in Italy only in the first weekend). It's an enjoyable feel-good comedy, that makes us smile and brings tears to our eyes.

Okay, from a plot point of view "nothing new under the sun", but the director and the actors (none other than the quintessential British star Hugh Grant and the famous American diva Drew Barrymore, yes, the chubby little girl who made us fall in love in "E.T.") manage to give us a relaxing hour and a half thanks to the visible chemistry that flows between the two and some sharp and effective lines.

And perhaps the credit is not entirely theirs, but also to the other hilarious characters that surround the film, like the funny manager played by Brad Garrett, the fanatic sister played by Kristen Johnston, the crazy lyricist played by Jason Antoon and, last but not least, the sensual diva Cora Corman amusingly played by Haley Bennett, one of those who was eliminated first on X-Factor USA but is now having her comeback.

In short, a sweet and carefree comedy, which many did not hesitate a moment to label as the comedy of the year, recommended for those who want to spend a Saturday night with a smile on their face and a light heart, or for friends who are not looking for the usual hilarious comedy filled with drugs-sex-swearing-boobs.

It's advisable to read the subtitles of the songs in the movie to fully understand their meaning.

And forgive them, it's not their fault if the movie's soundtrack "Way Back Into Love" ended up on a lowly show like "Amici"...