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For the last few years, Sandra Bullock has tried a little bit of everything. She’s done drama. She’s done thrillers. She’s done supernatural romance. And while they weren’t all bad, it’s still nice to see her back to doing what she does best: a fun, fluffy chick flick.
In The Proposal, sweet, lovable Sandy stars as The Worst Boss Ever. Book editor Margaret Tate is like a younger (but no less driven) Miranda Priestly. She’s tough and demanding, and no one in her office would ever dream of crossing her—especially not Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), her worn-out, beaten-down assistant. So when Margaret discovers that her visa application has been denied—and she decides to marry Andrew to keep from being deported—he can’t say no (no matter how much he wants to).
To seal the deal, Margaret joins Andrew on a weekend trip to visit his family in Alaska, where they’ll have to convince Andrew’s sweet, loving mother (Mary Steenburgen), his disapproving dad (Craig T. Nelson), his batty grandma (Betty White), and even his high school sweetheart (Malin Akerman) that they really are in love.
The Proposal is one of those movies in which the story takes a backseat to everything else. And it’s a good thing, too—because the story isn’t anything special. The deportation plot isn’t particularly solid (especially for someone like me, who went through the whole immigration process with her Canadian husband), and the family stuff is secondary. Sure, it’s an interesting reversal of roles—the tough, clueless [female] boss dominating her timid young [male] assistant, who takes care of her every need. But all you really need to know is that the two main characters don’t like each other, and they’re forced to pretend that they’re in love. It’s awkward and uncomfortable, and a couple of scenes will make you cringe, but it’s often highly entertaining, too.
The rest of the movie, then, is a bunch of random silliness—like Sandra Bullock chasing an eagle or Betty White dancing in the woods. Does it have anything to do with the story? Not really. Is it funny anyway? It sure is.
Still, none of that would matter without the right cast—and, fortunately for director Anne Fletcher, no one does romantic comedy quite like Sandra Bullock does. Though she plays a cold and seemingly insensitive character, she brings a little bit of humanity to the role. She makes Margaret the kind of character that you’ll love to hate—but, at the same time, you’ll know that there’s a real human being in there somewhere, beneath the tough, icy exterior. You’ll actually care about her—and you’ll root for her to lighten up for a change.
Meanwhile, Reynolds (and his character) couldn’t be more lovable—or more slyly sarcastic. Put the two of them together, and you’ve got a chick flick that’s filled with flawless comic timing and convincing on-screen chemistry.
Like another recent release, My Life in Ruins, The Proposal is far from a flawless romantic comedy. The set-up is dubious, and there aren’t a whole lot of surprises. But the lovable cast and the random laughs make it a fun and fluffy pick for a night out with the girls.
DVD Review:
With such an entertaining (and irresistible) cast, The Proposal deserves another look. Or, if you haven’t already seen it, it’s worth picking up a copy of the DVD for your next girls’ night in.
The two-disc Deluxe Edition DVD release of The Proposal features both a DVD copy and a digital copy of the film. The film’s special features, however, are pretty limited. DVD extras include a commentary track with director Anne Fletcher and writer Peter Chiarelli, two deleted scenes with optional commentary, and a wackier (but also more cliché) alternate ending (also with optional commentary).
The most entertaining feature, however, is Set Antics, which features bloopers and other on-set hilarity. The short extra includes plenty of laughs, a whole lot of dancing, and more than you ever wanted to see of Oscar Nuñez’s Ramone. There’s also more from Aasif Mandvi, who talks about the movie, chats up the stars, and catches a great little shot of Sandy Bullock tripping over her own feet. So if you’ve got a few minutes to spare after watching the movie, be sure to check this one out.
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