Early this year, this reviewer went to see the 2013 film 'Love Is the Perfect Crime', a French-language film about a student-seducing literature professor, with plenty of bloody murder and mayhem. By contrast 'The Rewrite', from Castle Rock, is a gentle comedy set in the academic world of Binghamton, New York.
'The Rewrite' tells the story of a washed-up script-writer who is forced to take up a job teaching script-writing. The decent trailer for this film shows this, and the selection procedure for the class, which we quickly get to, and so gives you a good idea what to expect in the film. Hugh Grant plays the part of this writer-turned-teacher.
Hugh Grant has previously given us classic comedies, such as 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' (1994), 'Mickey Blue Eyes' and 'Notting Hill' both of 1999, and 'About a Boy' (2002). In 'AaB', Mr Grant played a one-hit-wonder pop-star trying to fill the rest of his life, so this role is somewhat similar.
In a recent interview Mr Grant described how his life had taken a dramatic change in recent years, which forced him into political activity, thus also forcing him into having a much lesser role in the movie business. With regard to 'The Rewrite', Mr Grant said that audience reaction now made him realize that his age prevented him from playing certain scenes, and one true-life scene had him looking back unable to capture his former glory.
Thus this film, 'The Rewrite', in reality, can be seen as a turning point, where the previously foppish young Hugh Grant, has now turned into the now mature Hugh Grant. This real-life journey for Mr Grant, is one that is also faced by his character in this film, thus does the art imitate real-life.
The realistic scenario for this film was written by Marc Lawrence, who previously wrote the classic 'Miss Congeniality' (2000). One cannot help wonder how autobiographical the one-hit-wonder script-writer plot is. Certainly all the Hollywood-related scenes have a truly authentic feel to them. Marc Lawrence, who directed, as well as wrote, this film, and actor Hugh Grant, have given us a vision of life that seems very believable.
What must be stated, is how good Mr Lawrence's script is. Nearly every line is clever and funny, though if you laugh-out-loud you may miss the next line. There are also some poignant moments in the film too, and these are expertly directed, and are expertly conveyed to us, sometimes just by using silence. Tremendous!
Director Marc Lawrence is Brooklyn-born, as is leading-lady Marisa Tomei. Miss Tomei did the lovely rom-coms 'My Cousin Vinny' (1992) and 'Only You' (1994). In more recent years, she did the more serious 'Before The Devil Knows You Are Dead' (2007) and 'The Wrestler' (2008). Miss Tomei turned down appearing in the 1994 film 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'. Here, at last, she plays opposite Hugh Grant.
Miss Tomei's character is an optimistic and pushy mature-student, with a very full life. However, unlike Jason Alexander's 'Seinfeld' character George Costanza, who admitted "I have a thing for Marisa Tomei" in 'Seinfeld' (Series 7, Episode 14), Hugh Grant's student-seducing character strangely seems unable to lift his eyes from the young bit-of-skirt to see Marisa Tomei. "What's not to like!" as George would say. NB Castle Rock made 'Seinfeld'.
The plot of 'The Rewrite' has our jaded LA-based script-writer relocating to small-town Binghamton. Thus, it is similar in theme to 'Groundhog Day' (1993), in which the jaded weather-man has to leave New York to meet Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, in "rural Pennsylvania". How appropriate it is then that this similar rom-com plot, again has Chris Elliott in a supporting role.
There is also good support from the supporting-cast who make up the motley-crew of the screen-writing class. Serious actor JK Simmons, who has appeared regularly in several of the Law & Order TV franchises, and who terrified us in the TV series 'Oz', here gets to do some touching comedy. Allison Janney too, gives strong support.
Australian-born Bella Heathcote has the biggest part in the writing-class, and she acts it well, but perhaps the more poignant scenes were with Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and particularly, Steven Kaplan, who was in the best scene in the film.
The clever and funny script teaches us a little about the English language, script-writing, and life in general. Suitable to those in education, and also those interested in film-making, as well as all others, this film is surprisingly realistic, and has a clever and funny script, as well as some thought-provoking moments.
What's not to like! 10/10.
PS. Jumping out of my seat at the start of the credits, this reviewer nearly missed some nice scenes that accompanied the credits, so do stay to catch them, as they are well worth seeing.
