I was almost deterred by the copious television commercials that made me fear Morning Glory would be another lame comedy. But the desire to see my seventies Star Wars crush and the amazing Annie Hall (ok, Diane Keaton) won, and I am glad. This film may be trivial, but it is light and fun, and better than the ads suggest.

When workaholic television producer Becky (Rachel McAdams) loses her job at an early morning New Jersey television show, she talks station executive Jerry Barnes (an underused Jeff Goldblum) into hiring her as the executive producer in New York for Daybreak, the lowest rated morning show. Becky manages to force respected newsman Mike Pomeroy to be the show’s co-host. Pomeroy detests everything about this show, including co-host Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton). Although Becky finds a little time for romance with Adam (Patrick Wilson), the film concentrates on her relationship with her career and Pomeroy, the reluctant star of Daybreak. Can she save this show from cancellation?

Aline Brosh McKenna’s (she penned the screenplays for The Devil Wears Prada and 27 Dresses) screenplay provides plenty of actual laughs as the friction between serious news man Pomeroy and the intense Becky increases. As Becky frantically tries anything and everything to increase Daybreak‘s ratings, the zany antics of the show’s stars manage to be funny and not just predictably over the top. What I like most about Morning Glory is that the film is not really a rom-com; instead the film is about Becky’s passion for her career. I enjoyed the hard news versus entertainment debate between Becky and Pomeroy and their inter-generational friendship. Despite the age and viewpoint differences between Becky and Pomeroy and Colleen, the three are the same when it comes to their ambitions. As Becky and Pomeroy realize that they are more alike than they care to admit, the relationship changes.

I sometimes find Rachel McAdams to be a bit too perky (see State of Play) but director Roger Michell (who did a fine job with Venus) gets a good performance from McAdams, as well as strong performances from the rest of the cast. McAdams is appropriately high energy with a kind of jittery charm. She is good in scenes with co-stars Ford and Keaton, but the best parts of the film belong to those two stars. Harrison Ford is funny and charming as the gruff Mike Pomeroy, who is offended by the word “fluffy” and by fluff of any kind on news broadcasts. Ford speaks many of Pomeroy’s lines through clenched teeth as he recounts his successes by saying things like, “I pulled Colin Powell from a burning building.” Ford’s Pomeroy is pompous, but also tough enough to be menacing, which only adds to the humor in his scenes, especially those with Diane Keaton. Although Keaton said that her character is the one you love to hate, I couldn’t help but like her character of Colleen. Colleen is willing to do anything for ratings, and Keaton has her do it with joy and abandon. She boxes, raps with 50 Cent and soul kisses a toad, all with giddy enthusiasm. All of her scenes are delightful.

Towards the end of the film, Ford does manage to utter the word “fluffy” and realizes that fluff is not always a bad thing. The same can be said of Morning Glory. Despite a bit of emotional contrivance at the end of the film, Morning Glory is funny and enjoyable, and it provides a chance to see the wonderful Keaton and Ford together.

Morning Glory. Directed by Roger Michell. Rachel McAdams (Becky), Jeff Goldblum (Jerry Barnes), Patrick Wilson (Adam Bennett), 50 Cent (Himself) ,Harrison Ford (Mike Pomeroy) and Diane Keaton (Colleen Peck). Paramount Pictures, 2010.

Gail sees a movie appears every Wednesday.

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