Washed-up '80's pop star Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) has become content with playing High School reunions and small county fairs. It's his lot in life, the charismatic and talented musician fully understanding his lot in life is nowhere near the stratospheric heights to where it once performed. But when megastar Cora Corman (Haley Bennett) comes calling with an offer that could put this has-been back in the Top 40, Fletcher isn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The problem? He needs to write a duet for him and the blonde-haired starlet, a new song that will speak to his middle-aged generation and her tween-oriented fan base equally, and he's only got one week to do it in. Worse, he doesn’t have a lyricist, his former band mate the one responsible for coming up with all the cleverly catchy and emotional rhymes while he took on the task of putting them to just as irresistible music.

Enter Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), a perky plant lady with a flair for words and a beguilingly vexing personality to match. She's reluctant to hook up with the one-time superstar, still reeling from a bad relationship with famous novelist Sloan Cates (Campbell Scott) who used many of her own foibles and idiosyncrasies as key character elements in his best-selling book. But Alex knows Sophie is the woman perfect for the job and he simply will not take no for an answer, and if writing a hit song doesn’t drive them to kill one another, they just might discover they're both on the verge of falling in love.

Music and Lyrics is as delightful and endearing a romantic comedy as I have seen in ages. It is a near-perfect valentine of entertainment that's splendidly alive and full of such rich joyous energy I can't wait to see it again. Put simply, I loved this movie, enjoyed it from the very first frame, and as I tend to meet many of these light and frothy pictures with something approaching disdain that's a surprise and shock I admit to not anticipating.

It's not perfect, of course. The whole subplot concerning Campbell's author is about as interesting and amusing as listening to out of tune polka music without earplugs. Also, like many modern romantic comedies this one has a huge problem with pacing, overstaying its welcome for a good ten to fifteen minutes. Lastly, I can't say I was all that infatuated with the usually wonderful Kristen Johnston, her Fletcher-loving character (Sophie's big sister) a bit more obnoxious than the movie really needs.

But that's really it. Other than those few missteps filmmaker Marc Lawrence really hits his stride with this picture, more than making up for the forgetably miserable Two Weeks Notice on which he made his directorial debut. Lawrence's script is a model of comedic efficiency, both Alex Fletcher and Sophie Fisher such wonderfully three-dimensional human beings it becomes a joy to watch them inch closer and closer to love. The whole thing is a masterfully constructed piece of genre splendor, and even when it didn't work Music and Lyrics still had me so won over I was singing in appreciation almost in spite of myself.

Without of a doubt, this is the best Grant has been in ages. He and Barrymore have melodious chemistry, the duo lighting up the screen pretty much from start to finish. Watching them go through the pangs of trying to construct a winning song for Bennett's petulant pop idol is a wondrous thrill, the two of them breathing life into such richly endearing characters it was nearly impossible not fall in emotionally vibrant infatuation with both of them.

As good as they are, however, none of it would mean anything if the music in the picture didn't rise up to meet them. Thankfully, it does so and then some. While all the songs are terrific (including the winning opening track "Pop Goes My Heart" brought to life in an hysterical Wham! meets Duran Duran meets Ah-Ha '80's style music video) it is Fountains of Wayne band member Adam Schlesinger who makes the key contributions. His "Way Back Into Love," the song Cora wants so desperately, is an unabashed sensation, so good I can't wait to get it loaded upon my MP3 player just as it comes available for download.

Music and Lyrics is a great time at the movies. Grant and Barrymore make a fantastic team, writer/director Lawrence striking just the perfect balance of nostalgia, whimsy, romance and satire to make it all feel as fresh and as original as the latest pop sensation. In fact, I loved it so much I'm tempted to sing, and anyone who knows me well knows that is one thing - thankfully, more than likely - I just don't do all that often.

Film Rating: êêê  (out of 4)