Why a 2009 romantic comedy about witness protection became a critical and commercial struggle.
In short: In 2009, Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker teamed up for a romantic comedy thriller that placed a Manhattan power couple into the Wyoming wilderness. Despite the star power, the film faced harsh reviews and a difficult box office run, leaving a complicated legacy in the genre.
Directed and written by Marc Lawrence, Did You Hear About the Morgans? follows Paul and Meryl Morgan, a separated New York City couple who witness a murder and are forced into the Witness Protection Program. Relocated to the fictional town of Ray, Wyoming—which was actually filmed across various locations in New Mexico and New York—the couple must navigate the jarring transition from high-stakes Manhattan life to rural isolation. Their journey involves learning to chop wood, ride horses, and manage encounters with a trained bear, all while being hunted by a contract killer named Vincent.
The film’s production was remarkably swift, with principal photography completed over just 25 days in May and June of 2009. Despite the pedigree of its leads, the project struggled to resonate with critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, only 12% of 121 reviews were positive, with a consensus noting a lack of chemistry and an unfunny script. Metacritic echoed this sentiment, assigning the film a score of 27 out of 100. Audiences were slightly more forgiving, awarding the film a B- grade via CinemaScore.
Commercially, the film faced an uphill battle. With a production budget of $58 million, it earned $6,616,571 during its opening weekend in the United States, debuting at number four. While it struggled domestically with a total of $29.5 million, it found more success in international markets, eventually reaching a worldwide gross of $85 million. Ultimately, the film serves as a case study in the challenges of blending romantic comedy tropes with thriller elements, relying heavily on the charisma of its stars to bridge the gap between its disparate narrative worlds.
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