D.C. MOVIE GUYS

The Proposal-Sandra Bullock is a talented actress. This is an undeniable fact. In her best films she engages us and draws us to her side with her spunky charm and down to earth warmth. When she tries to play a mean spirited or nasty character, with the notable exception of her work in Crash, it just doesn’t ring true. In The Proposal, she does tap into her inner meanie for a while and, when she does, the film has a certain snap. But, as this middling romantic comedy moves into its second a third acts, Bullock becomes her old, sweet self-and the movie suffers for it.

Bullock stars as hard charging book editor Margaret Tate. She’s great at her job, pacifying neurotic authors and getting them to do re-write and publicity they don’t want to be involved with. She’s also very demanding and utterly incentive when it comes to dealing with subordinates.

A particular target of her abuse is her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds.) Andrew puts up with the abusive behavior because he hopes to earn a promotion to staff editor. As it turns out, Margret will offer him that job, but not because she thinks he deserves it.

Margaret is from Canada. In pursuit of a major author, she left the United States for a European book festival before she clarified some minor immigration issues. Those issues have come back to bite her, leading the Federal government to order her to leave the country for at least a year. Also, immigration laws make it illegal for her to work for a U.S. company during that year. Faced with losing her dream job, Margaret suddenly announces she and Andrew are getting married.

A reluctant Andrew agrees to the scheme-but only if Margaret will give him the promotion and publish his first book. After the Immigration Department certifies their marriage, the two plan to get a quick divorce. In order to convince a skeptical immigration official, Margaret and Andrew head to his hometown in Alaska for his grandmother’s (Betty White) birthday party.

The couple must navigate the tricky territory of creating a history for their relationship on the fly, while also confronting their own long time conflicts. Their time together reveals things about each of them, but will it be enough to keep them out of jail should Immigration find a flaw in their stories?

Director Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses, Step Up) gets the movie off to a snappy start in the set up of the movie’s plot. Screenwriter Pete Chiarelli lets her-and the cast-down with a middle portion that leans too hard on one-dimensional jokes about Alaska and its
natural and spiritual elements.

Bullock and Reynolds have some chemistry together and there are several moments in the film when they strike sparks on screen. But those sparks are too often dampened by the script’s lack of focus and familiarity. Credit should go to Mary Steenburgen, as Andrew’s mother and Betty White, as Grandmother Annie, for the energy they bring to the proceedings.

Will you smile at and laugh with The Proposal from time to time? Yes. Will you find it as satisfying as such Bullock hits as Miss Congeniality and While You Were Sleeping? Probably not, but,, as a bargain matinee choice, it’s worth a try. MPAA Rating: PG-13 for profanity, brief partial nudity and sexuality. Joe’s Rating: Two and One-Half (**1/2) Stars.

Also opening June 19:
Year One-A comedy can be many things-high brow, broad, bawdy, even in bad taste. At the very least, it should be funny. Using that definition, Year One is not a comedy. What it is is a waste of time and talent. If you pay to see it, it will also be a waste of your money.

This tale of cavemen with stumble through adventures involving such Biblical figures as Cain and Abel and takes them to Sodom and Gomorrah, stars Jack Black and Michael Cera (Juno, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist.) It was written and directed by Harold Ramis, whose filmography includes National Lampoon’s Animal House, Stripes and Ghostbusters. That three such talented performers could spend millions of dollars to make such a lame,
unfocused and unfunny film is disappointing.

Stuffed with far too many poop, sex and gay jokes that border on homophobic, Year One isn’t worth spending a lot of time on-so I won’t. Save your money and skip it. MPAA Rating: PG-13 for profanity, crude humor, comic violence and sexual content. Joe’s Rating: One (*) Star.

Joe Barber’s entertainment reports and reviews can be heard Fridays through Sundays on the WTOP-FM Radio Network (103.5, 103.9, 107.7 & Wtop.com.) He can be seen regularly on WETA-TV’s Around Town and Fridays on Comcast Sports Net’s
Washington Post Live.