If given a choice, I am not sure whether I would prefer to live in the city or the countryside.  There are merits to each: I crave the cultural opportunities afforded by the city, while the peace and quiet of the countryside is good for the soul.  As a practicing Catholic, one might think the latter of the two would be my first choice, but being amongst more people increases the likelihood of evangelization.  Besides, I am not a monk.  However, what if one was not given a choice?  If this were a movie, comedy would ensue, right?  That is the premise behind Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009).  Is it funny?  Read the review and decide for yourself.

What Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) is trying to get his wife, Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker), to decide at the start of Did You Hear About the Morgans? is for her to come back to him.  In between their busy schedules, he as a lawyer and she as a realtor, he had moved out after he had cheated on her.  He is determined to win her back, though, leaving endless voice messages and showing up at her speech to a breast cancer research foundation.  Though she is surprised to see him, he manages to convince her to get to dinner so they can talk.  Afterwards, they take a walk that brings them past one of the properties she recently sold.  They are worried when they see the owner standing outside on his balcony in the rain, but it turns to panic when they see a knife in his back, plummeting to the pavement below.  His murderer, Vincent (Michael Kelly), spots them, taking a few shots before they escape unharmed.  After the Morgans’ interview with United States (US) Marshal Lasky (Seth Gilliam), they are informed that, given the high-profile nature of the assassin, they must go into witness protection.  The necessity of this is underscored when Vincent finds where Meryl has been living in their apartment and tries to kill her.  Hence, they are flown across the country to Wyoming, their destination hidden from them until they are underway.  Their objections are ignored, and they land on a lonely airstrip in the western state where the local authorities are asleep on their arrival.  The person who is awake is US Marshal Clay Wheeler (Sam Elliott), who, with his wife, Emma Wheeler (Mary Steenburgen), are to supervise the Morgans.  Meanwhile, back in New York, Vincent has not given up on finding Meryl, coming to her office and talking to her assistant, Jackie Drake (Elisabeth Moss).  Jackie tells Vincent that Meryl is away, and he drops a listening device into Jackie’s bag.  As for the Morgans, it becomes clear that they are ill suited for their current surroundings.  In the process of getting away from a grizzly bear, Meryl accidentally gets bear spray into Paul’s eyes, prompting a visit to the local doctor’s office where he is treated like a child.  While he is being examined, she makes a phone call to an adoption agency after seeing baby pictures on the wall, leaving a message where she accidentally gives her assumed name.  For the moment, they argue about her decision to not pursue adopting.  Their desire for a child appears to be the crux of their issues going back to his infidelity.  As for that fateful phone call, the agency rings Meryl’s office.  Vincent overhears the number Jackie writes down, and is now narrowing his search.  Back in Wyoming, the Wheelers decide they need to get out, which leads to another trip to the doctor’s office for Paul.  During this visit, Meryl gives Dr. Simmons (David Call) some real estate advice.  As before, she has a purpose, while he remains devoted to trying to win her approval.  His suggestion, inspired by Emma, is to take her on a date.  As they drive to the Wheeler’s place, she asks why he cheated on her.  She partially blames her nagging about having a child, and he admits that the other woman’s unassuming nature had a role in his decision.  It is the honesty that thaws their relationship for the first time, and before long they are winning bingo together and sharing a bed for the first time in a while.  However, this also means that she is faced with a dilemma: whether to tell him about the fact that she slept with someone while they were separated.  She sneaks this in along with telling him that they should adopt after all.  He does not take the news well.  This happens during the rodeo, which is also when Vincent finally comes to Wyoming.  Since the Morgans are currently going through some difficulties, they decide to skip the rodeo, even after an admonishment from Clay.  As the Morgans are packing, Vincent attacks.  They survive the initial assault, getting on a horse and heading to the arena with Vincent not far behind.  Meryl and Paul make the mistake of trying to hide in a bull costume, getting into the ring with the genuine article.  Paul attempts to subdue Vincent with bear spray, but once more ends up getting it in his face.  Luckily, they are saved by their new friends.  All the same, the danger convinces the Morgans to make their final amends.  With the bad guy caught, the Morgans return to New York City and their old lives.  We conclude with them six months later landing once more in the Big Apple bringing home their new adopted baby, naming her after the Wyoming town in which their relationship was saved.

I kind of expected that the Morgans would stay in Wyoming at the end of Did You Hear About the Morgans?  In any case, it is a happy ending to yet another romantic comedy brought to you by The Legionnaire.  This means I have to find something Catholic to say about what is, despite the unexpected twist, fairly predictable.  As so often happens with watching these kinds of films, I feel silly saying serious things like how the Morgans’ experience with living a more rural life and comparing it to being in a religious community.  For centuries, Catholic men and women have been seeking out secluded areas in order to get away from the distractions of society.  After all, in 1 Kings 19, God spoke to Elijah in a small, quiet voice instead of the roar of all the other things going on in that moment.  As for us, we do not need to take religious vows and retreat into a cave in order to connect with God.  Wherever you are at, in any situation, there is no hiding from God.  In other words, you cannot lie to God.  You can fool others, unfortunately, but never God.  Thus, it makes you wonder why we try to do it in the first place, especially considering the fact that it is a sin.  Life is so much better when you are honest.  In the Christian context, doing so is part of what it takes to get to Heaven.  There is no better reward.  In the film, it means the repairing of a marriage, and building each other up.  In the film, Meryl assuages Paul’s doubts about being a father, which is part of what it means to be a Christian husband and wife, even if they are agnostic. Regardless, this is also a way in which such a couple helps one another get to Heaven, which is the first duty.

Still, I would not call it a “duty” to see Did You Hear About the Morgans?  It is fine, with nothing objectionable about it.  It is a shame that this couple who are evidently well suited for one another were unfaithful.  Yet, to forgive, as they say, is divine, especially when it leads to them welcoming a child.  That is worth more than this movie.