Roger Michell and scripted by The Devil Wears Prada's 
Aline McKenna, Morning Glory breaks free of it's formulaic premise to be one of the most enjoyable comedies of the year. Once you get past the shocking revelation(at least for me) that Morning Glory is a product of JJ Abrams' Bad Robot productions, everything else will feel familiar and comforting all at once. Rachel McAdams is Becky Fuller, a producer at a low budget, bottom of the barrell morning show in Jersey. She's something of a big fish in a rapidly shrinking pond, eventually too big for the channel to hold on to. After being downsized from her own show, Becky latches on as producer of Daybreak, the dayside morning show at last ranked IBS. IBS, much like the bowel ailment, is quickly stinking up the joint. The lead anchor is a perverted jerk with an inflated ego, and the co-host, former Miss Arizona Colleen Peck(Diane Keaton) is a pampered princess. Becky realizes that if she's going to make the most of what is likely her one real shot at success, she's going to have to make a few waves. Exit the perverted anchor, enter old school newsman Mike Pomeroy(Harrison Ford).
If this were The Devil Wears Prada, Mike Pomeroy would be Miranda Priestly. A hard nosed real reporter with decades of journalistic accolades, interviewing foreign dignitaries and becoming friends with the most important people in the world, Mike isn't exactly keen to the idea of introducing stories on ice cream cones and puppy dogs. He wants hard news or nothing at all...but IBS owns his contact. Reluctantly, he agrees to join the show, but his presence is more of a hindrance than Becky ever could've imagined.
Morning Glory walks one heck of a fine line between charming and schmaltzy as the klutzy, neurotic Becky does battle in her own quirky way with the mostly male dominated figures in her profession. Not just Pomeroy, but the comically blunt station head, Jerry Barnes(Jeff Goldblum, always a welcome sight). Her gosh go get 'em attitude runs the risk of taking perky to the level of irritating, but McAdams is such a likable actress that she knows the limits even when the script is trying desperately to push her over it. In particular her relationship with a hunky producer(Patrick Wilson) could've been left out completely. Morning Glory works best when it's dealing with Becky's problems with the on-air talent, not her hopeless love life. The heartiest laughs come at the biting back-and-forth between Keaton and Ford, two veteran talents who still have a lot left in their comedy tank. It's good to see Ford making a fun movie again, and no the last Indiana Jones does not count.
I read somewhere recently that something like 30% of young people get their news from satirical sources like The Daily Show. A stunning number, and one that shows the many hurdles news shows have to face. The question of penetrating journalism vs. entertainment is one that many networks are attempting to answer right now. The same goes for morning shows, as they try to balance important stories with schlock that keeps people tuning in and happy. Morning Glory attacks this issue, mostly through Pomeroy's character, but wisely knows that this truly isn't the venue for that debate to take place. Aided by McAdams and a wonderful supporting cast, Morning Glory is as light and cozy as a puff piece on The Today Show, and you won't even have to put up with Al Roker.
