It's about time Hugh Grant accepted the fact that he's at his best when playing a romantic lead; none of this Could Atlas mumbo jumbo, you weren't born with a foppish manner and that glorious mane of hair for nothing! Good to learn then that he's back to basics with director Marc Lawrence for their fourth romantic comedy collaboration. The movie is as yet untitled but don't worry, that'll come; next on the agenda is to secure some A-List actors. As per The Wrap, romcom stalwart Marisa Tomei is in talks to sign on.
As for the plot? The story centres on Ray Michaels (played by Grant), a charming (check), handsome (check) Englishman (check) who, upon winning an Oscar for Best Screenplay in the 80s, was the talk of Tinsel Town. Fifteen years later, things have gone somewhat awry, and Michaels is no longer at the centre of the universe. He's broke, unemployed and devoid of all creativity. He then drags his miserable arse off to the East coast of America where he nabs a job teaching writing at a small college and subsequently falls in love with one of his students - Tomei - who returned to study after becoming a mother.
If ever we had to define the quintessential Hugh Grant romcom, this is it. Here's hoping there's at least one love-declaring scene in the rain. Oh and I hope he has bockety pair of specks too.
