The Proposal
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds
Direction: Anne Fletcher
Rating: ***
She’s the proverbial boss from hell. Meet the exacting editor (Bullock) of a New York publishing firm. The cellphone-dependant executive expects her harried assistant (Reynolds) to pander to her every desire. Compared to this gorgon, Meryl Streep’s fashionista from The Devil Wears Prada is a model of congeniality.
An amiable, seen-it-before romantic comedy, The Proposal is a fair bit funnier and more entertaining than other recent wedding-themed tales (Made of Honour, Bride Wars).
Choreographer-turned-director Fletcher (27 Dresses) keeps the mood light and easy. She’s assisted by the two lead players who share sparkling screen chemistry.
The editrix takes pleasure in demeaning her underling until, she discovers that she’s about to be deported to her native Canada. The shrew then makes him an offer he cannot refuse: a sham marriage. But is a hip-happy ending feasible when the charade is revealed?
A tad too predictable perhaps, the film is at least unpretentious and buoyed by the polished production design and picture-postcard Alaskan locations. The closing — credits sequence is chock-a-block with sassy one-liners.
Best of all, there’s the comic zest of Sandra Bullock. Yesteryear’s Miss Congeniality also effectively exposes a chink of vulnerability in her cold-blooded character. The fresh-faced Ryan Reynolds matches his co-star’s sure-fire sense of comic timing. Here’s a Proposal that’s well worth accepting.
{{/usCountry}}Best of all, there’s the comic zest of Sandra Bullock. Yesteryear’s Miss Congeniality also effectively exposes a chink of vulnerability in her cold-blooded character. The fresh-faced Ryan Reynolds matches his co-star’s sure-fire sense of comic timing. Here’s a Proposal that’s well worth accepting.
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