“I knew it when we kissed”. This line was spoken by Ryan Reynolds in the film The Proposal and it sums up my attitude about romantic comedies. I don’t mind if the premiss is ridiculous, I don’t care if the characters are silly, I don’t even mind if there are a few cliches in the film, what it all comes down to is chemistry. When you look back on the best romantic comedies ever made, the stars had chemistry.
Romantic comedies by nature are ridiculous and this film is no exception. But what makes this movie work is the relationship between Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. They are forced to be in close proximity and you can see the awkwardness and discomfort in every move. But you could also see that this relationship was like a unlit match and gun power, one little spark and kaboom!
Another element about romantic comedies that is seldom discussed is the envy factor. Romantic comedies are made for single woman to live vicariously through. Men go along with them because they may benefit from the emotional fall out. If a girl gets carried away enough, he may get a little forward movement on his own situation or he may get a few ideas in the romance department.
To factor in the envy component romantic comedies must have good clothes, a dream house, a romantic location, or really cool friends. In this film, cool friends were substituted with a cool family, but the dream house exceeded expectations, the clothes were New York fashionable and the romantic location was rustic and elegant at the same time. I found myself tempted to move to Alaska.
Sandra Bullock was at her best here and Ryan Reynolds was an excellent foil. Even though there is an age difference of about 12 years, they made a very good looking couple and it was nice to see an older woman getting a younger man for a change. A nice addition to the envy component.
I’ve always enjoyed Sandra Bullock and I hope to see more of Ryan Reynolds. It was also fun to see Oscar Nunez have a chance to shine as Ramone. His exotic dancing is something to be seen, or averted. The rest of the cast is full of proven comedic favorites including Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen and Betty White, who is a National Treasure. The Proposal is an excellent addition to the genre and I recommend it.
Rating: First Run A worthy addition to the best romantic comedies
About Me
- Melanie Wilson
- My Reviewer's Philosophy: I believe that every film has its audience. One man’s Citizen Kane is another man’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre. My purpose is to help you spend your entertainment dollars wisely. A bad review never kept me from going to a film I wanted to see, but a good review will sometimes get me to a film I never considered. As a movie lover I want you to go to the movies. When more people go to the movies, the more movies get made. But, I also believe that if you enjoy the films you see, you naturally will be inclined to go more often. So join me in supporting our film industry by going to a movie today. Hopefully I can steer you towards a good one. See you at the movies. Melanie Wilson
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