Hey, folks. Capone in Chicago here. Ryan Reynolds has been the source of many surprises in my movie-going world of late, and he continues that streak with THE PROPOSAL, a film that by all rights should be as disposable as most of romantic-comedies of late but isn't because Reynolds' type of funny is funnier than most. My appreciation of Reynolds dates back to "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" (yeah, I said it). While I only watched this mediocre sitcom sporadically during its inexplicably long run, I will say that I distinctly remember thinking that Reynolds' brand of smarmy charm won me over. His unforgettable turn in VAN WILDER came shortly thereafter, and while he didn't get an bonus points for being in BLADE: TRINITY or THE AMITYVILLE HORROR remake, he did give us WAITING, which more than made up for any past mistakes. The first genuine surprise he delivered in my book was DEFINITELY, MAYBE. I can't quite put my finger on why that film got to me as strongly as it did (and not just me, I should add; for the most part, critics and audiences dug this movie). Earlier this year, the dude surprised me again with an excellent serious turn in ADVENTURELAND, followed by a quick (as in, blink-and-you'll-miss-him quick) turn in WOLVERINE. Sure, I'm curious about his taking branching out his Deadpool persona, but I hope the filmmakers actually allow Reynolds' superior brand of sarcasm and deadpan to come through in the character. I'm also really curious about his turn in the long-delayed (in this country, at least) drama FIREFLIES IN THE GARDEN and the upcoming comedy PAPER MAN. I'm in no way implying that THE PROPOSAL even comes close to being as good as Definitely, Maybe, but it's certainly not as terrible as, say, Reynolds' inevitable-conclusion rom-com JUST FRIENDS. My meager recommending of THE PROPOSAL has man caveats. The film has not one, but two moments of public embarrassment for both Reynolds and co-star Sandra Bullock; one is usually a deal-breaker for me. But it seems that for every aspect to the film that I loathed, there was another element that genuinely surprised me. And thanks to Ryan Reynolds, I laughed a great deal more with this film than I have others like it in a very long time. Reynolds plays Andrew, a put-upon executive assistant to a publishing house editor Margaret (Bullock). Margaret is loathed and feared in her office, but Andrew is a dutiful and under-appreciated right hand who is hoping one day to be promoted to editor with her help. Margaret is Canadian and because she can't be bothered to file the proper paperwork with immigration, she's on the verge of being deported. In one of the film's many leaps of credibility, she announces to the powers that be at her firm that she and Andrew are getting married, which sends all sorts of red flags up at the immigration department, who seem eager to catch her fraud and throw her out of the country. In an effort to make their relationship seem real, Margaret decides to join Andrew on his already-scheduled trip to see his family in Alaska. Yes, one of the films THE PROPOSAL resembles is NEW IN TOWN, as we see Margaret in her six-inch heels make her way around the rugged terrain of Alaska. Turns out Andrew's family (mother Mary Steenburgen, father Craig T. Nelson, and very funny grandmother Betty White) is rich and practically owns the town he grew up in, but they also happen to be genuinely good, loving people who haven't seen their son in three years because of the grueling schedule Margaret forces him to keep. If you can't see where all of this is going, you're a dunderhead. Director Anne Fletcher hasn't exactly made a living making unpredictable films (her other two works are 27 DRESSEES and STEP UP), and THE PROPOSAL is not exactly an example of her branching out. The real key to anything this film accomplishes is, of course, Reynolds. I've seen Sandra Bullock be funny--and she certainly has her moments here, including a creative "nude scene" with Reynolds--but a grumpy, bitter, nasty Bullock is surprisingly not nearly as interesting as the bitch that runs rampant through this film. I have no trouble enjoying films with unlikable characters, but what she's doing here just isn't very funny or compelling. Reynolds on the other hand is great in nearly every scene. In case you hadn't figured it out, the entire premise of the film is a role reversal from the traditional office-setting comedies (such as 27 DRESSES), where the female underling falls for the boss. So in a sense, Reynolds is playing a chick for much of the film, and he does it quite convincingly. He's sensitive, emotionally driven, and seems to take all-too convincingly to the subservient position ("I can see your vagina from here!"). The dynamic changes a bit when Bullock springs the wedding idea on him, but old habits die hard. As the film goes on, some of the best scenes between the two are not meant to be funny. They share a room at his parents' house (her in the bed, him on the floor), and they have long, late-night conversations about each other's lives, partly to prepare for their immigration test and partly just because she doesn't know that much about him. These scenes are actually kind of sweet, and it's when Bullock essentially drops character that she becomes much more engaging. The film is filled with underwritten supporting characters, including Malin Akerman as Andrew's former high school/college flame, who seems extra happy to see him. At least the film doesn't set her up as some sort of artificial rival just to give us a villainous character. I did like seeing "The Office's" Oscar Nuñez as the town's jack-of-all-trades, including male exotic dancer, which makes for one of the film's most obvious but still funny sequences. Denis O'Hare as the immigration officer who isn't buying this marriage arrangement for a second overplays a character that was probably not well developed on the page either. He might as well be twirling his wax mustache while he delivers his boring dialogue. The film's final act brings in a totally unnecessary impromptu wedding and an officeplace finale that is just plain dumb. THE PROPOSAL is just plain dumb, let's make that one thing perfectly clear, but Reynolds' verbal trades with Bullock make it just good enough that fans of his will feel like they got their money's worth... probably. It's a coin toss as far as I'm concerned, and the odds are the coin will land on its side. But Reynolds provides just enough of his brand of humor to push the coin over in favor of seeing this film. If your significant other is chomping at the bit to see THE PROPOSAL, you could do a lot worse. (Please feel free to put that on the poster.) -- Capone capone@aintitcoolmail.com
