REWRITE

I've never seen a review on this movie and I'm glad that I haven't. Though I try not to be influenced by reviews, sometimes I do allow them to prevent me from watching. What a shame that would have been in this instance. I loved the movie. Yes, it is Hugh Grant in a format that we have seen repeatedly, but it was set in a vehicle that used his talents to tell the very best of stories. I applaud ever performance in that telling. Marisa Tomei is always a delight to watch and I felt this was a bit of a stretch for her that she performed well. It was a subtle role for her and she carried it off beautifully. Over the years, I have under appreciated JK Simmons. In recent years, I have come to enjoy seeing him in just about anything - so simple, laid back and easy to take. Neither Allison Janney nor Chris Elliott have ever been favorites of mine, but the mixture of all of the portrayals from all of these actors were a winning combination for me. I don't know how this movie has gotten past me for this long. I'm constantly on the lookout for these kinds of stories and they don't make enough of them now to keep me happy. I would highly recommend the movie - great story and a well-blended cast to tell it. Five stars for me!

The thing about art (TV, Film, Painting, Books, Etc...) is it 100% subjective... in the eye of the beholder. My wife and I come away from our first viewing of The Rewrite decidedly lukewarm - at best. Hugh Grant is a charming guy with a certain kind of character he normally plays - charming, quirky, unsure, but gets the girl... this time we came away not really liking his character until deep into the film, and even then... eh.Grant's Keith Michaels is a one hit wonder screenwriter with a film everyone seems to love, but a string of dudes after, that lands him in need of work as he has a divorce to pay for, not to mention his own bills. He takes a job in upstate New York as a visiting artist teaching screenwriting. SPOILERS HERE: Before arriving this guy decides to only accept the pretty girls and a couple of nerdy guys. Eh.... He’s a jerk, stacks the class, but ironically with mostly stereotypes and ... well, more stereotypes. Like the nerdy guy who only likes, watches, and writes Star Wars. The overly pretty girl(s) with not much to offer and a sheltered view of life, and the girl who thinks sex is the way to get anywhere in the world. Now stereotypes work for a reason - we recognize people via shorthand to understand what’s going on - but sometimes they work and sometimes they annoy. These supporting class characters are ... okay. A little more charming as time goes on, but still... Interestedly, in a class stacked for looks, the two guys come out as the most interesting and the girls land like a dude. There are some sweet moments, but...Marisa Tomei as Holly Carpenter, comes in a little deep, but without a lot of connection to Grant. While they’re the love interests, they don’t end up with much chemistry. Which in a weird way, makes it more interesting. While we’re supposed to wait for them to fall in love, instead my wife and I liked them for their scenes, but their non-romantic connection. Yes they end up together, but... the stuff between, if you take it as friendship, is interesting.JK Simmons shines as Dr Lerner - department head - but not because his character is at all deep - his depth goes it his annoying love for the women in his life (it’s sweet, but...) it’s simply because pretty much anything Simmons does is interesting. The same with Allison Janney. In fact, we could not understand HOW two such amazing actors ended up in this film, but they gave us some nice moments and were a welcome change from Grant’s jerk. Lastly, Chriss Elliott, who we have never once enjoyed in anything, was the least annoying ever - though somehow still makes every character annoying - and was somewhat decent as the next-door neighbor-colleague.Overall we are lukewarm, but... being as it was cheaper to buy than rent, we bought The Rewrite and will at some point give it another try. I think most (lots and lots) films deserve to be viewed. They are harm work requiring many people to create, and those people work hard to produce something great. For that alone their work deserves viewing. Ironically, the rewrite itself is about second chances for a screenwriter, seeking something more to his life, finding it along the way... so just like Keith Michaels gets his rewrite, so too at some point will we give The Rewrite another chance.

Fun, entertaining and moving

It is certainly not academy award material but for .99 cents rental they were offering at the moment and with a cast that includes Hugh Grant (not really one my favorites, but I can deal with him) and Marisa Tomei ( academy award winner for "my Cousin Vinny) now there is an actress that since winning the academy award, hasn't had that many memorable big productions unfortunately for her to sink her teeth into and is a bad thing for a good actress ( I feel) as she is. This was a cute film about an out of work actor (Hugh Grant) that has not been able to make or get a chance to produce another film after his first major very successful one, he had made many years before for which most people remember him for. So against his own better judgment, when his agent offers him a job as a university professor in some small town and he initially right away said no, but as he is doing that the electricity in his apartment was cut off (apparently for not paying the bill), he promptly changed his mind and accepted the position.Having no experience as a professor he goes on to give a shot and with it his reputation follows ending up sleeping with a beautiful student but very intellectual at time makes you wonder, whom was using whom although this was against the rules, which he claimed he was not aware of.Marisa Tomei, happens to live in this town as a single mother with two young daughters and holding on to two jobs while at the same time trying to better herself by enrolling in college to pursue her dream of someday becoming a writer, where she meets him by taking his class after first seeing him in a restaurant she works at while Hugh is attempting to have dinner with this student which did not go so well.Mr. Grant had various funny lines within his script and delivers them greatly as well as Marisa and they act well together. It was a good story and worth enough for you to waste an hour and half of your time if you find yourself needing to do something. The film had a very good supporting cast that would appear from time to time with J.K Simmons (best supporting actor winner for Whiplash, this past year) and Allison Janney (from TV show MOM) and daytime Emmy award Emmy award winner as well as Broadway actress. She worked together with Simmons in the good production of the film of Juno as married parents so it was fun to see them working together again not as a married couple in this film, but more as a principal of the school with very strict rules expectancy from her teacher's staff.Anyway, I recommend this picture and there is no nudity at all, just a few F words here and there from the delightful Mr. Grant. Enjoy. won't spend money buying it though, just renting.

petite comédie romantique très américaine malgré la présence de Hugh Grant. La conception de l'enseignement en particulier (le savoir ? Quelle importance ?). De quoi passer un bon moment, mais vite oublié.

Somewhat unexpected. Good story, great humour and even believable human failings and plot lines. I enjoyed watching how this all unfolded - by the way, I also enjoyed watching the seasons change outside the classroom window. Good touch. How many times I have done this in real life, dreaming of how my own future would unfold once school was done. DVD arrived in good condition, timely. Thank you. Glad to have this DVD.

I expected a better script and more from the actors.

I can't believe I never heard of this movie until I was browsing around on Amazon and snagged this for an amazing price. This movie is very witty and touching, and Hugh Grant and Marisa Tomei, along with their supporting cast are outstanding and believable. I will definitely be watching this movie again and again.

Good film but nothing special. Grant is looking a little older now and cannot play the lothario that he usually does and Marisa Tomei is totally miscast. The story revolves around a washed-up screenplay writer who has won his one Oscar and still living on it. He is put into a job at a backwoods uni teaching writing which he does not like. 'I am a writer not a teacher' However he manages to bond with his students and starts a fling with one of them until he is informed that dating the students is not good idea.He also crosses swords with one of the other teachers who is a Jane Austen freak and does not get on with him at allHowever via his relationship with Marisa Tomei he decides he likes the community and returns to the uni to settle down. Not a weepie nor a rom-com but still Grant's own bumbling style.Not sorry that I bought it to see Grant gwoing old gracefully. Got a lot of lines there now Hughie boy!!!