Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Did You Hear About the Morgans? Blu-ray Movie Review

Chances are that, yes, you've heard about the Morgans -- countless times before.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 10, 2010

People for eatin' tasty animals.

Did you hear about the movie that's mind-numblingly predictable, completely unoriginal, and so deeply-rooted in formula that it's stiffer than even the mighty trees of Yellowstone National Park? It's Did You Hear About the Morgans?, a relatively light Comedy that doesn't take any missteps because it dares not venture anywhere beyond the realm of "been there, done that," the picture the movie equivalent of those little Internet forum deadhorse.gif images that show a character repeatedly bludgeoning the long-since departed animal for no good reason. It's not that Morgans is a flat-out terrible movie in the same vein as something like The Love Guru; it earns a few scattered laughs amidst the routine way it goes about its business, and the performances from the main cast are solid enough. The problem is that the movie feels completely superfluous from trite beginning to dullard end. There's never a moment that even comes close to surprising the audience, and most viewers would be able to figure out every major event that happens in the movie from a one-sentence set-up, like this: "Estranged big-city couple is forced to relocate to Wyoming together after they witness a murder." Go ahead, take four seconds to figure it out before watching the movie. It's not difficult. Honest.

Who didn't see that coming?

New York City real estate agent extraordinaire Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker, Striking Distance) is fighting a losing battle in her effort to finally settle the split with her husband Paul (Hugh Grant, Music and Lyrics). Paul is proving be the clingy type, sending Meryl numerous gifts and finally pestering her into dinner for two at an upscale city restaurant. The evening seems to be going well enough -- until the couple witnesses a murder. They're suddenly thrust into protective custody, but when the killer tracks Meryl down and she barely escapes an assassination attempt, she and Paul are forced to enter the witness protection program. Their new home: the small town of Ray, Wyoming, where they are forced to live together with locally-based U.S. Marshals Clay (Sam Elliott, Ghost Rider) and Emma (Mary Steenburgen, Step Brothers) Wheeler, a married couple that represent the antithesis of everything Paul and Meryl stand for in their own lives. Will the witness protection program keep Paul and Meryl safe and sound, or will their sudden reunification and life in small town America be the death of them?

Did you hear that big, collective groan? That's the Did You Hear About the Morgans? audience members trying to figure out what in the world made this movie worth all the time and hard work that so many people put into bringing it to fruition. The picture is competently constructed and suitably acted, but it features a script that's not just been bathed in cliché, but completely submerged in it until its pages turned all prune-like. Indeed, the problem stems from the painful fact that the movie never even once tries to make itself original; rarely has there been a movie so content to just spew out the same tired plot developments and jokes as Did You Hear About the Morgans?. Big city folks must acclimate to the down-home slow pace of the Wyoming countryside. Liberal, cell phone dependent, PETA members must learn to co-exist with conservatives that find a pistol rather than a Blackberry on their hip better suits their lifestyle, and oh yeah, they fix a big old plate full of pork products for breakfast every morning, too. Bambi's head, and not a knock off Picasso, decorates the walls, and then there's the question as to which cow yields the skim milk. Toss in a rodeo, some Country music, cowboy hats, and a bad guy to up the count of predictable factors by several more, and Did You Hear About the Morgans? has everything going for it -- if only not for the pesky fact that it's been done once or twice before, or three times before, or four times before . . . or 4,806 times before . . . or 21,759 times before . . .

To make matters worse, Did You Hear About the Morgans? features a collection of terribly flat characters that are hardly more than amalgamations of various stereotypes. There's no life or vigor to them; they simply allow for the plot to move along in the guise of a "fish out of water" Comedy (and yes, the movie is as clichéd as that phrase), and their actions are always predictable, and predictably stupid at that. Hugh Grant's character in particular serves no real purpose in the movie other than as a fountain of cheap verbal gags and the recipient of several lame physical jokes. Equally abysmal is the Paul-Meryl relationship that's not in the least bit convincing, whether looked at from the perspective of a once-happy couple now on the rocks, or as a couple that could potentially find their romance reignited by the events they endure throughout the film. Indeed, the only purpose the relationship serves is as a means to make their sudden re-coupling in the rustic Wyoming wilderness a bit more challenging on them, but again, because the film makes every predictable turn along the way, any potential for interesting spousal dynamics are sacrificed in the name of cliché. Sam Elliott and Mary Steenburgen are the only true strengths to be found in the film; they give their characters a playful and fun feel, never getting too caught up in their respective stereotypes and delivering superficially convincing performances as a loving, long-lasting country couple. The picture is further saved by some gorgeous backdrops, but these few areas in which the picture works just can't make up for its sheer lack of originality at almost every turn.

Did You Hear About the Morgans? Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Did You Hear About the Morgans? roughs it on Blu-ray with a decent 1080p, 2.35:1- framed transfer. The image is a bit warm, with a slight push towards red, particularly noticeable in flesh tones. Additionally, the image appears consistently flat with some smudgy backgrounds, but foreground materials offer generally high detailing and the image often yields a fairly impressive film-like appearance, aided by an ever-so-slight layer of film grain. The rough-and-tumble landscapes of New Mexico -- standing in for Wyoming -- generally look good; rocky and dusty terrains in particular impress with the high visibility and clarity of even the smallest of pebbles on the ground, while the heavily-starched western wear and all the lines and seams in clothing are nicely resolved. Black levels fluctuate between devouring details and appearing washed out, but the picture's color palette is generally a strong point; greenery in the country backdrops often sparkles, and everything from the mundane wooden accents inside the Wheeler's to the colorful patchwork clothing seen in the rodeo sequence looks great. This is a stable, good-looking transfer that's certainly not free of some annoyances, but viewers shouldn't walk away too disappointed with the experience.

Did You Hear About the Morgans? Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

You've heard about the Morgans, but Did You Hear About the Morgans? in DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless audio? Though not a particularly aggressive and power-packed soundtrack, this one does everything that's asked of it very well, even if that doesn't consist of much beyond the basics. Aside from a pitch-perfect musical presentation and sharp dialogue (even across the ranges of voices heard in the movie, from the shrilly Sarah Jessica Parker to the deep Sam Elliott), this mix provides plenty of very subtle atmospheric effects in most every major location that add a bit of variety and pleasant nuances to the experience. Both the picture's early settings within the city and the latter Wyoming segments come alive with the din of city traffic in the former and the many sounds of nature in the latter, each effect prominent in the mix but never overwhelming the primary music, dialogue, and effects, the result a pleasant listen no matter the setting. There's little-to-no hefty bass in the film; several gunshots pack a crisp zinging sensation but don't necessarily send a deeper wallop through the listening area, whether a lever-action rifle in one scene or a suppressed pistol in another. Did You Hear About the Morgans? won't leave its listeners overwhelmed with a first-class, full-throttle sonic experience, but it's a good track that manages to squeeze a fair presentation out of its limited resources.

Did You Hear About the Morgans? Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Did You Hear About the Morgans? yields a fairly average collection of supplemental materials. First among them is an audio commentary track with Director Marc Lawrence and Stars Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker. The track proves as listless as the movie itself, though there are a few quality insights into the actual making of the movie that rise to the surface from the ocean of meaningless banter, including a brief discussion of the effort to shoot the film in chronological order, shots removed from the film, digital manipulation of characters in post-production, shooting locations, and more. There's even mention of some of the lesser scenes of the movie and the difficulties of the shoot; even though most are accompanied by a laugh, it's nice to hear a touch of honesty, particularly in a movie as lame as this. Location, Location, Location! (1080p, 18:13) features the cast and crew speaking of the challenges of the shoot, notably the contrast between filming in New York City and New Mexico, the latter substituting for the Wyoming segments. The piece is fairly generic but provides just enough information to make it a worthwhile watch for those that enjoyed the movie. Cowboys and Cosmopolitans (1080p, 8:05) is a self-congratulatory piece that looks at the work of Grant, Parker, Elliott, and Steenburgen. Next up is Park Avenue Meets the Prairie (1080p, 5:02), a piece that features Costume Designer Christopher Peterson speaking on the characters' wardrobes. A Bear of a Scene (1080p, 5:21) takes a closer look at the process of shooting alongside a live bear. International Special (1080p, 13:46) is next, a standard making-of piece that offers little more than what's been covered in the previous features. Also included are two deleted scenes (1080p, 4:30); a series of outtakes (1080p, 6:41); Sony's MovieIQ connectivity; BD-Live functionality; and 1080p trailers for Dear John, The Young Victoria, An Education, and Julie & Julia.

Did You Hear About the Morgans? Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Did You Hear About the Morgans? earns a few scattered chuckles, but many viewers will probably find themselves laughing at the movie rather than with it. Either that or they'll simply roll their eyes and wonder how a movie that earned a wide theatrical release and featuring several name stars could possibly be this unoriginal. Did You Hear About the Morgans is one of those movies that will work when the mood calls for completely mindless entertainment or for someone that hasn't seem too many movies, but cinephiles won't get much out of this one. Sony's Blu-ray release of Did You Hear About the Morgans is solid if not a bit unspectacular. The picture quality isn't eye-catching but it's not particularly bad, either, and the lossless soundtrack is fine for what's required of it. The supplements are average and constructed mostly of filler material, making this a disc that's best enjoyed as a rental.