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THE PROPOSAL
Sandra Bullock returns to the rom-com genre that made her famous in The Proposal -- her first since 2002’s underrated Two Weeks Notice. While no one will ever accuse this film of overt originality, what’s lost in predictability is made up for in the sheer charisma and likability of its stars.
Sandra plays Margaret Tate, a shrewish New York book editor who, because of an expired Visa, is about to be deported back to her native Canada. Her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds - nicely sharpening his comedic chops), is a sincere-but-easily-cowed young man simply trying to climb the corporate ladder ... and get his own novel published. When the deportation bombshell is dropped by her boss, Margaret plucks from her improvisational bag of tricks the fabrication of her upcoming nuptials with Andrew. Andrew, realizing his job is on the line, agrees. While a suspicious immigration officer smells something foul (a moldy sitcom premise?), he allows them a few days to get their story straight take care of business. Before you can say Green Card meets Northern Exposure, Margaret and Andrew are off to his hometown in Alaska for his grandmother’s 90th birthday.
Once in Alaska, Margaret is introduced to Andrew’s parents (played ably by Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson), and his grandmother (87-year-old Betty White - who damn near steals this movie).
I’ve spoiled nothing here, this synopsis can be gleaned from the trailer, but it doesn’t take a genius to know where this story is going. I don’t mind that, as long as the getting there is something unique, or special, or fun. In this case ... it mostly is. Sandra Bullock, looking fabulous at 44, milks the second-rate script for every laugh she can get. She is also pretty fearless in scenes like the one involving a puppy, an eagle, and a cell phone ... you’ll know it when you see it. Given that she also spends a good deal of this film trying to convince her faux-fiancee’s family of a lie, there is also a little whiff of While You Were Sleeping ... but I won’t count that as a bad thing. Her utter likability is the very foundation of a film that threatens more than once to collapse under the weight of its own clichés.
Ryan Reynolds (who obviously found time to mine this screenplay for laughs when he wasn’t doing sit-ups) also brings much to the table with a funny and endearing performance. While he has done his fare share of action roles recently, between his charming (and sometimes silly) performance in this film and 2008’s Definitely, Maybe, I think he is finding his niche. His sparkling chemistry with Sandra (their 12-year-age difference is hardly noticeable) IS the heart of this film.
That said, Betty White, and this bears repeating, is such a marvel of energy and comedic timing, she saves the picture from whatever shortcomings Bullock and Reynolds can’t do on their own. Whoever is responsible for this piece of ingenious casting deserves much of the credit for this film’s success.
While I am recommending this film, some of its flaws are glaring -- and I’m not even referring to the age old premise, that can be forgiven if it is done right. Director Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses) might do well on her next project to hone up on how to stage scenes with a lot of extras. The sequences involving Margaret and Andrew’s publishing office cubicles, especially the ones at the end of the film, are staged, acted, and directed so ineptly, they completely ruin the flow of the otherwise entertaining story. Rather than subtle reactions, the extras all mug shamelessly, and remind the viewer that they are watching a movie. I also could have done without the “Ramone” scenes ... every time I thought he was gone, he popped up again. I blame the director.
So ... if you are looking for an agreeable time-filler with its fair share of laughs (if not surprises), I can think of many worse ways to spend two hours than with Sandra Bullock in rom-com mode. I laughed, I smiled, and never looked at my watch. While this movie is probably not deserving of any grade over B-, due to the charisma of its stars, I’m going to raise that to a ...
MOVIE GRADE: B
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