The part of Greg (I think was his name)Hugh Grant's ex-lyricist was a nice little touch. He's got a huge EGO that he interprets as INTEGRITY! So, did he put a finger to his head and shoot because Alex was a smash hit without him -- or was the song just too sugary, and he's surrounded by Philistines?
Leonard Cohen is my idol. Civility, harmony, unity!
Basically, the latter.
He thought the song was terrible and couldn't believe that all the people were eating it up.
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Thanks for confirming my suspicion that the gun was for losing out on the gravy.
I miss Big Band music and talented singers. Leonard Cohen is my idol. Civility, harmony, unity!
Uh, just because one guy agrees, I wouldn't confirm your suspicions. It looked pretty clearly to me that he was rolling his eyes in disgust at the song itself, and it had nothing to do with his lack of success. He didn't do it after the rousing of the people, he did it during the song itself.
It's pretty much setup before we even see him that he's a "hot" and "successful" lyricist, so odds are this was just another job for him, not a potential breakthrough or huge payday.
Besides, the character himself was meant to represent the cynicism and angst prevalent in today's music, not the greed associated with the music industry -- a concept which was remarkably ignored in a film featuring the music industry. Everything was about the creative process, and recognition, not the financial rewards (except, of course, the 'need to work to get -some- money'), so I highly doubt that suddenly the financial implications were the point being made. He was there to contrast the joy of soulful music for the trite cynical stuff that's out right now.
But that's just my opinion; no one on IMDB short of the screenwriter is going to let you 'confirm your suspicions'.
D.
You could be correct. I just can't figure why he'd be at Cora's concert at all. The screenwriter wanted to make a comment about (what you said?)
I miss Big Band music and talented singers. Leonard Cohen is my idol. Civility, harmony, unity!
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To my mind it was definitely a gesture of disgust, if you remember his reaction to Sophies lines when he was in the flat and then stormed out you can see clearly how he feels about "light" pop.
As to why he's there, well I think we're thinking things through a bit much for a rom com if we're worried about that, but if it needs justification I'd say it was because he was curious to see what they had come up with and to confirm his worst fears about what he considered to be the pap they were producing.
The "shoot me now" gesture means he felt that he was right!
Lol that's funny. I automatically thought the former. I didn't even think he was still rolling his eyes at the shallow pop-ness. Could be. Woah this movie is way too deep for my interpretative skillz ;P
shareFunnily enough the former never occurred to me; I just assumed the latter! I don't think you can call it deep just because they left some things ambiguous
shareHe was implying that the song was so bad he wanted to kill himself
shareI don't want to be rude, but did you even watch the movie? He wasn't really his ex-lyricist. He was basically there to write one hit song for Cora. He'd never written with Grant's character before.
And at the end, he did the little shooty thing because he hated the song. His lyrics were vile. Did you hear them? He's not a sugary pop kind of guy. I don't think he needed to or ever worried about money, as he was already successful.
"I don't want to be rude but I will be anyways, but did you even watch the movie?"
There, FIFY
I agree with those who say the song was too sugary for him. His original lyrics were really dark, angry & morbid, and then along comes Sophie whose lyrics are hopeful & sincere. Example:
Guy's lyrics: "Give it up, I'm a bad, hot witch..."
Sophie's lyrics: "...but with some magic I just might switch."
So I think he was annoyed that Sophie completely turned the meaning around & Alex liked the new version better. Sorta like if you write a depressing funeral dirge, and someone adds a polka beat and chippy lyrics (and everyone likes that version better), you'd want to shoot your brains out.
I thought the opposite. For me he was thinking to himself: "If I had swayed just a little it could these two people, one an international super-star (Cora) up there singing MY song. I was an idiot. This is a good song and I totally blew it. And I am out a good pay/commission check too."
Besides, you don't really believe a song writer really will stand by his writers code even if a sure thing, sugar and all, will bring him fame and glory -- do you? Naaaah. At least, not that guy.
All of the above reasons apply!
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A most excellent retort, sharpj. Ambiguity is artful.
I miss Big Band music and talented singers. Leonard Cohen is my idol. Civility, harmony, unity!
The former never occurred. Always thought it was because of the sugary song. I don't think it was because he didn't get the job. He's apparently a very known lyricist, who has written for famous singers.
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