Morning Glory is a 2010 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Roger Michell and written by Aline Brosh McKenna. Starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson and Jeff Goldblum, the film tells the story of an upstart television producer who accepts the challenge of reviving a morning show program with warring co-hosts.
Morning Glory was released in theaters on November 10, 2010, by Paramount Pictures. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $60 million against a $40 million budget.
Plot
Aspiring news producer Becky Fuller has dreamed since childhood of working for the Today show, but her dedication to her career puts off potential suitors. Laid off from her job at Good Morning New Jersey, her mother advises her to give up her dream before it becomes an embarrassment. Becky perseveres, and receives a call from IBS News, which is seeking a producer for its struggling national morning show, DayBreak.
After a discouraging job interview with executive Jerry Barnes, who dismisses both her and DayBreak as also-rans, Becky is brushed off in the elevator by one of her heroes, veteran television journalist Mike Pomeroy. Seemingly against his better judgement, Jerry hires Becky as DayBreak executive producer, and she moves to New York City.
On her first day, Becky realizes she has signed on to a show in turmoil, lacking in direction and money. After meeting acerbic, long-suffering co-host Colleen Peck, Becky fires the lecherous co-host Paul McVee, to her co-workers' delight. She chooses an unwilling Mike as Colleen's new co-host; under contract to IBS, he has escaped being utilized while still getting paid. Becky finds a clause in his contract requiring him to accept an official job offer or lose his salary, forcing him to comply.
Becky meets Adam Bennett, a fellow IBS producer who worked with the difficult Mike. They begin dating, and he is initially supportive of her dedication to her job. Contemptuous of morning television, Mike tries to sabotage his DayBreak debut by getting drunk. He refuses to banter, rejects segments he feels are beneath him, and antagonizes Colleen.
Jerry informs Becky that IBS wants to cancel DayBreak, blaming her for the ratings' further slump. After a heated confrontation with Mike, Becky snaps and decides on a radical approach to save the show. Persuading Jerry to give her the show's remaining six weeks to vastly improve ratings, Becky sends Ernie, DayBreak weatherman, on stunts such as riding roller coasters and skydiving.
Colleen joins Becky's campaign to rejuvenate the show, appearing in colorful segments that help the show's ratings, but Jerry remains unconvinced. Adam, not realizing what is on the line, teases Becky about how caught up she is in improving the ratings; seeing this as a criticism she has heard from other men, Becky walks out.
With the six-week deadline approaching, Mike shows interest in doing a story on a sauerkraut festival, surprising his colleagues. Becky accompanies him, but realizes he is going to the Governor's summer house instead, and informs him that the show will be cancelled. Undeterred, Mike confronts the Governor on charges of racketeering, breaking the story of his arrest on live television. Mike tells Becky that he was similarly over-committed to his job, at the expense of his family and personal life.
The live arrest increases DayBreak ratings enough to secure another year for the show, and Becky receives a job offer from the Today show. She reconnects with Adam, and lashes out at Mike for his stubbornness. Becky accepts the job interview, with DayBreak on in the background. When Colleen tells Mike that his refusal to adapt has driven Becky away, he walks off air and storms the kitchen. Becky watches in shock as Mike presents a cooking segment, expertly showing viewers how to make a frittata. Becky runs back to the studio, deciding to remain at DayBreak.