It was New Years Day, I was tired, surprisingly unhungover and was given the option of seeing Sherlock Holmes or “Meet The Morgans” as we referred to it at the time, I mean come on, it is a bit of an unnecessarily long title for a simple rom-com.

Perhaps I ought to explain why I chose to see this over one of the winter’s biggest films? To put it simply I knew exactly what to expect from Hugh Grant and I felt that the film was just going to be something I could sit back, relax and enjoy, and I did…as opposed to having to figure stuff out and attempt to second guess the motivations of Sherlock Holmes suspects, yadayadayada…it was an easy choice.

I went with group of many girls and one boy, a boyfriend of one of the gals who had previously seen Sherlock Holmes. He claimed that “The Morgans” was “the worst film I have ever seen.” I begged to differ and still do.

Meryl (SJP) and Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) are a high-flying New York couple who have recently separated due to an infidelity in the relationship. However for some convenient reason that would only ruin the plot if I told you, they move to Ray, Wyoming, a small-middle of nowhere, “God-fearing”, “we don’t take kindly to outsiders” town.

This leads to all sorts of comedic opportunities relating to the differences between the city slickers and their new slack-jawed yokel community.

The comedy isn’t that good…I mean it’s not going to win any awards for its wit or slapstick hilarity but as I expected it had some handy predictable humour and some delightful witty comments from Hugh Grant. He plays his usual witty posh British public school type, just as I suspected and hoped he would be.

(I wonder if he can play any other kind of character?) Sarah Jessica Parker plays the ultra mod career driven New Yorker which is basically a culmination of her character Carrie from Sex And The City with a bit of Charlotte (a tad baby mad!) thrown in for good measure.

A special mention must go out to one of the supporting actor Sam Elliot who plays Clay Wheeler, The Morgans gruff-handlebar-moustached-hick companion who puts them up for their stay in Ray.

He’s great, this guy, maybe it was just the moustache but I think he did very well to play a standoffish yet somehow helpful and friendly guide to the couple but I have a feeling that like Grant and Parker he has played a similar character a couple of times before.

There are not many surprises in this film, most people would probably say there are none but some things didn’t unravel in the way that I expected. This film is probably a mans nightmare and my heart went out to the poor chap who was sitting behind me with his girlfriend. Alas! For me, an estrogen-producing female, I thought it was simply fine, for it was all I wanted at the time and it satisfied me greatly. In retrospect I laugh back with remorse at some of the all too convenient coincidences and the no longer hilarious lines of dialogue.

Emer Molloy