Welcome to The Morning After, where I share with you what movies I’ve seen over the past week. Below, you will find short reviews of those movies along with a star rating. Full length reviews may come at a later date.

So, here is what I watched this past week:

Up Close and Personal

It’s not a hard-hitting piece of journalism, nor is it entirely a wasted piece of fluff. This blend of Broadcast News and Sleepless in Seattle tries to play both genres together, though it doesn’t entirely succeed.

The story follows a young reporter (Michelle Pfeiffer) as she earns her big break under the tutelage of an experienced newsman (Robert Redford). As the two grow closer, the reporter launches a captivating career that culminates in an award being given in her honor. Success and tragedy follow her in equal measure.

Pfeiffer and Redford have good chemistry together and the film has a lot of poignant things to say, but it’s the romantic elements that often derail the story even when they ultimately bolster the finale. While films like Broadcast News are closer to the style of journalism-targeted pieces we would prefer to see, one that at least tries to tackle some difficult issues gets bonus points, especially when as lovingly executed as this film is.