Did You Hear About the Morgans? Synopsis: In New York City, an estranged couple who witness a murder are relocated to small-town Wyoming as part of the Witness Protection Program.
Paul and Meryl Morgan have been separated for three years due to problems with getting pregnant and Paul’s infidelity. Meryl is ready to move on, but Paul continues sending Meryl gifts to win her back.
After having dinner together in the city, the two witness a murder by a professional hitman and are soon whisked away by US Marshals into the Witness Protection Program. They end up in Wyoming under the watchful eyes of two US Marshals, Clay, and Emma. While adjusting to the small-town life, Meryl and Paul are finally forced to confront the issues in their marriage.
This is one of four movies that Hugh Grant and Marc Lawrence have done together, the other being Two Weeks Notice, The Rewrite, and Music and Lyrics. I enjoyed all three of those films, so it was a no-brainer to watch Did You Hear About the Morgans? eventually. It had not received the greatest reviews, but how many romantic comedies actually do? So, after watching it, I must admit, Did You Hear About the Morgans? was not terrible.
I’ve always enjoyed Hugh Grant in rom-coms, even if he essentially plays the same character in all of them. Sarah Jessica Parker is not my favorite actress, but she was better in this than Failure to Launch. She and Hugh Grant also had slightly better chemistry on screen than she and Matthew McConaughey, so I suppose that’s something!
The supporting cast in Wyoming consisted of gruff Sam Elliot, the ever-pleasant Mary Steenburgen, and a handful of your typical “aw shucks” country folk. Meanwhile, Elisabeth Moss is Meryl’s sharp, go-getting assistant in New York, and Michael Kelly is the hitman looking for the Morgans’ whereabouts.
The obvious Fish Out of Water trope is a bit overdone here – Paul overreacting to bears, Meryl being amazed that a sweater could cost $9.99 – and quite a few of the jokes land pretty flat. It also deals with some serious issues (infertility and infidelity), which sometimes feel a bit out of place, given the light-hearted tone of the movie. Despite those criticisms, it does have some cute, humorous moments, and Grant is his usual charming and bumbling self. Did You Hear About the Morgans? does not bring anything new to the genre, but it’s a mindless, entertaining rom-com that’s good for passing the time.
Watched: 03/10/2022
Notable Song: We Can Work It Out by Stevie Wonder
