The Proposal

Most charming Sandra Bullock movie since While You Were Sleeping, though quite a bit more predictable. (Anyone who knows the general premise can guess how the movie is going to play out.) But it was funny and sweet, and if you need to choose something to take your wife/girlfriend to, choose this one.

Sandy's attempting a Miranda Priestly-type character (Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada) which doesn't actually suit her acting style very well, but when you get used to her she's fun to watch. And she has great comic timing. So does Ryan Reynolds for that matter, who has a way of just looking perplexed that can make you snicker.

We went into this movie more or less out of despair; the cinema offerings seemed uniformly lousy and we simply wanted to see a movie that looked like fun. This one looked stupid: I'd seen Betty White promoting the movie on Jimmy Fallon's show and the scene shown was idiotic, though it did have a couple of amusing lines. Well, we were all pleasantly surprised. The outcome of the plot might be predictable, but the road getting there is surprisingly sharp and entertaining. There are quite a few witty lines and exchanges, and the delivery and timing of the two stars and, of course, of Betty White are just about perfect. Both of the lead characters have surprises in their backgrounds to reveal, and the settings are beautiful. There are one or two scenes that are clunkers, but even the dopey episode with White's Grandma Annie doing a ritualistic dance in the woods ends up having some relevance to a later plot event. The movie is well thought-out and well executed, and the actors create characters who engage us, even if we don't know anyone quite like them in our own lives.

My jaw is still aching, almost an hour and a half after the credits rolled. I don't recall when I last laughed this consistently and heartfelt at a new production. Yes, this is pretty formulaic stuff... if you've seen one mismatched couple romantic comedy, you've seen them all. This never claimed to be anything other than that. It definitely delivers what one expects from the genre, without any of it being phoned in or taken any less seriously. Not every film needs to revolutionize the craft, and shape cinema for decades to come. If everything was excellent, it would become the norm, and it would cease to be special. And I find it incredible and immensely positive that a movie with this kind of humor(observational, and largely derived from typical situations that happen to everyone) can still be made, and be nicely received. Humiliation and pain are not actually funny. They get a schadenfreude reaction, "thank goodness that didn't happen to me", and thus we move further apart, isolate ourselves all the more. This does the opposite, letting us get closer to each other, share the little things that we've forgotten are silly or "off" in our everyday lives. It does go a tad too far on occasion, to get the audience going, but those instances are few in number. The acting is great all-round, and the two leads have chemistry, and play off each other well. There are countless memorable sequences, jokes and gags in this. This contains "moments" between Bullock and Reynolds, as well, and they genuinely work. You feel for them. The characters are just about invariably well-written, interesting and credible. In general, the script is well-done. The music is pleasant and well-chosen. This ought to entertain nearly everyone, of any age. There is a little strong and/or risqué language, and a couple of usually mild sexual references, and this tends to be inoffensive. I recommend this to all who think they may enjoy it. Chances are that you're right. 8/10

The Proposal is a hard film not to enjoy but it's an even harder film to admire. Aside from the two exceptional lead performances from Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock and the humour they create, the story is dowsed in clichés and left to drown. I need a film to at least be thoroughly realistic if not authentic, and the tired screenplay often delves into slapstick and camp when it should have let the leads carry the film.

Bullock and Reynolds ooze charisma in all scenarios here, and their chemistry is what anchors the film firmly in watchability, even elevating the film at times to outright excellence. And to The Proposal's credit for every cliché it puts forth, we often get a quick rebuttal of charm, but which ultimately asks the question, why in the first place? I am almost tempted to follow in critic gene Siskel's footsteps and swear off watching movie trailers, because all the best line are in the promotional material; I don't mean they are the only good lines, simply that they would have made the film even more enjoyable had they been fresh. Directed by Anne Fletcher, who has already had rom-com success with Step Up and 27 Dresses, takes a chance with Bullock in my opinion as most would have good with a younger, hot-at-the-moment star. She does not disappoint and in her role as boss, Bullock is certainly suited; imagine that, a character that looks their supposed age.

The plot is certainly one of contrivance, as are with most romantic comedies today, with the stern manger of a publishing firm (Bullock) essentially blackmailing her younger assistant Andrew (Reynolds) into marrying her so she can save herself from deportation and stay in the U.S. It just so happens of course, that it is Andrew's grandmother's birthday that very weekend and is heading up to Alaska for the celebration. Trapped in secluded north, will this faux engagement become something real? The worst scenes of the film take place in the office, with the underlings of the tyrannical boss quite literally diving for cover upon her arrival. We have surely seen in films like Office Space and The Devil Wears Prada that a work scenario can combine humour with realism without the need for the employees to act like Looney Toones characters. My first impression of the time frame in which evil over bearer and ambitious assistant fall in love was that of annoyance as such feelings would never form so quickly. However I may have initially judged too harshly, as is nicely illustrated, Andrew and Margaret only have each other. Andrew is ambitious and loyal, knowing everything about Margaret, and in turn Margaret is so dedicated to her job without any semblance of a personal life, he is her only true confidante and slowly the scenario becomes slightly less preposterous.

The Alaskan scenery is beautiful, and the supporting cast including the delightful Betty White, Mary Steenburgen and Craig T Nelson make for a well rounded and talented cast. My absolute favourite member, which perhaps not coincidently my favourite part of the film, is Malin Akerman as an old flame of Andrew's. It was so refreshing to see an ex portrayed as a nice, honest human being instead of a vengeful witch and it is these intermittent moments of true human emotion that wouldn't make me turn this film off if I happened by it again; even if I wouldn't seek it out on my own accord.

Read all my reviews at www.simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com

Well, if I could split the movie into two, I would say that the first half is a superb Proposal and the second half is fairly traditional Hollywood pablum. In the first half, the wonderful comedic timing and chemistry between Bullock and Reynolds was terrific. The writing was first-rate intellectual, snappy sparring, even throwing in some literary references in the put-downs. Kudos to the Director, Anne Fletcher, and the Screenwriter, Pete Chiarelli.

The completely different tone in the second half, I surmise, could only be attributed to the studios/producers stepping in and stating that the film must appeal to a wider audience. We, then, get lots of family characters thrown in, with a great reduction of Bullock and Reynolds mutual screen time. And when they do share time in the second half, it's more about slapstick/physical humor (cue studios/producers needing appeal to wider, a.k.a, younger audience). Maudlin music comes in on the soundtrack, letting us know that this part of the movie is supposed to tug on our heartstrings.

I don't buy the inevitable resolution either. I don't believe that it is supported well or justified by what came before it.

The 1st 45 minutes is WELL worth seeing. I wish the filmmakers could have pushed and maintained the pace and feel for the entire movie. Reynolds and Bullock are so good, they could be this generation's Tracy and Hepburn. I'd like to see them in another project that follows through all the way.

BTW, this film was actually shot in Boston and (the Alaska scenes) in Manchester by the Sea and Rockport on the North Shore with digital effects adding snow capped mountains. You might even recognize Motif No.1, a famous small building on a wharf in Rockport which has been the subject of many famous painters' and photographers' work. It was also fun seeing some of my local Boston area acting colleagues doing background work in the film.