Consider Music and Lyrics made to order: a romantic comedy making its theatrical debut on Valentine's Day and featuring two of the more easy-to-love stars of this genre, Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. Everything about it screams template template template. There aren't any surprises to find here, from the cute dialogue (using discussions about music as the metaphor for love and relationships) to the boy-finds-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-must-get-girl-back story arc. It's predictable and, as a result, comfortable.

In a rather sly way, the film also shows its cards as it plays. The movie's non-romantic thematic portion  looks like its own valentine to cheesy pop, and it isn't shy about expressing this. In the story, Alex Fletcher (Grant), an ex-80s band member, finds an opportunity to make a comeback in the music industry by writing a song for current Britney/Shakira-esque pop sensation Cora (Haley Bennett). Though he can compose a melody, he's bad at penning lyrics, so at first he works with a lyricist who stands in for all the jaded critics of the arts in the entertainment world.

As much as the lyricist rants against the banality of pop music, that cynicism becomes tempered by the appearance of Sophie Fisher (Barrymore), who eventually strikes a bond with Alex. Through her, the movie defends what I might call middlebrow entertainment, lightly dissecting the appeal of a good tune and the right words to accompany it, and, by turn, movies like itself which offer predictability, a little bit of insight into middle-class challenges, and a good case of the warm-fuzzies.

To use its own analogy, if the form and cast on paper of the romantic comedy is the "music," then the chemistry and believability of its main stars might be its "lyrics." Any such movie sinks or swims through its talent, so one's enjoyment here directly correlates with one's reception to Grant and Barrymore, who pretty much play themselves. And that's usually not a bad thing, since Grant is particularly fun when he's being the dry, self-effacing British fellow, and Barrymore has "adorable" all locked up. Plus, in this movie, the actress thankfully portrays the opposite of a comically stereotyped female -- she's not ditzy, controlling, flighty, or over-emotional. But she still retains a winning, distinct, gentle femininity. She's almost too nice, actually. The movie came close to losing me when she responds a little too reasonably to Grant's Big Mistake.

The most memorable moments in Music and Lyrics  may result from digs at the music industry, especially original songs representing the oeuvre of Alex's old band, "Pop!" The movie kicks off with a music video of the instantly catchy "Pop Goes My Heart," so reminiscent of the decade's silly celebrations of synthy tunes and big-hair fashions. The satire of the Cora character doesn't let today's popular music off either, but at the same time the movie celebrates all of this cheese while poking holes in it. In doing so, Music and Lyrics admits its own shallowness, but it wants you to admit you shamelessly enjoy it too.

(Released by Warner Bros. Pictures and rated "PG-13" for some sexual content.)

Review also posted at www.windowtothemovies.com.