MORNING GLORY (2010)
Funny, warm, and too crude for anyone but discerning adults.
Should You Watch It?
MORNING GLORY is a genuinely funny, engaging comedy with touching moments of warmth. Rachel McAdams brings nervous energy and high-spirited confidence to Becky, a young television producer trying to save a failing morning show. The all-star cast gives the movie much of its appeal.
But the humor comes with a substantial cost. The film contains too much foul and crude material, including sexual references and innuendo. Its workplace story also includes selfishness, pride, and career backstabbing, even when those elements are played comically.
Adults who can handle that content may enjoy the movie's energy and warmth. It is not appropriate for children or young teens, so choose another comedy for a family movie night.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESAfter losing her producing job in New Jersey, Becky quickly becomes executive producer of DAYBREAK, a struggling New York morning talk show. She has six weeks to raise its ratings or see the program cancelled.
The show's two co-anchors are difficult opposites: Colleen is an embittered former beauty queen, while Mike is an arrogant, celebrated reporter who considers morning television beneath him. Becky must manage their egos, revive the show, and balance a developing romance.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means MORNING GLORY is enjoyable and often very funny, though not especially deep. Rachel McAdams does a tremendous job capturing Becky's nervous, spunky energy while maintaining her confidence. Harrison Ford is also funny as the curmudgeonly Mike Pomeroy.
The movie has touching moments of warmth, and its light-hearted approach makes the workplace struggle engaging. Its limitations are clear, however: the comedy is marred by abundant crude and sexual material, and the story does not offer much depth.
The Worldview
The film presents a mostly light, mixed pagan and humanist worldview. It offers no real moral resolution beyond one character changing and becoming less selfish than he once was. A brief effeminate male character appears without anything overt, and a man crosses himself for comedic effect in a mild Christian reference.
The story does recognize that selfishness is something to leave behind. Yet pride, lying, backstabbing, sexual immorality, and self-centered ambition remain part of the comedy rather than being examined through a clearly biblical moral framework.
Scripture points toward a more complete change of heart: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Mostly light, mixed pagan, humanist worldview with no real moral resolution other than one character changes and does not live as selfishly as he once lived, one brief effeminate male character but nothing overt, and mild Christian reference as man “crosses” himself although it is done mostly for comedic effect; 34 obscenities, 18 profanities; light, brief violence includes man hunts and shoots turkey, some pratfalls, weatherman performs stunts on TV to increase ratings such as skydiving and getting tattoos on Live TV; sexual content includes unmarried kissing, implied fornication in several different scenarios, perverted TV anchor mentions his sexual fetish for feet and talks about visiting pornographic websites, but he is fired from the show because of his behavior, and sexual dialogue and innuendo throughout the movie; nudity includes several scenes of woman in her underwear and a T-shirt; alcohol use depicted in several scenes from beer to hard liquor and drunkenness depicted; man smokes cigar; and, lying, backstabbing, pride, and a news story is covered about a Governor who is being arrested for breaking anti-trust laws.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Becky is intensely focused on her work. When can diligence become unhealthy ambition?
Colossians 3:23 · Matthew 6:33The show is damaged by pride and selfish behavior. What does humility look like in a workplace or school setting?
Philippians 2:3–4 · James 4:6One character changes and becomes less selfish. Why is recognizing wrong behavior only the beginning of real change?
Romans 12:2 · 2 Corinthians 5:17The film treats lying and backstabbing comically. How should Christians respond when dishonesty seems useful or entertaining?
Ephesians 4:25 · Proverbs 12:22The Final Word
MORNING GLORY is a funny, warm workplace comedy with an appealing cast and enjoyable performances. Its crude language, sexual content, and mixed worldview make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For more positive comedies, see.
