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THE PROPOSAL Director – Anne Fletcher Certificate - 12A Run Time – 108 minutes Release date – 22-07-09 – Initially in AUS a few days earlier
Anne Fletcher is as pink as pink can be; in her first Director role. A truly feel-good factor movie with lots of hundreds and thousands sprinkled on top. Made by the cast of ‘Hairspray’ Fletcher had an easy life Directing this comedy; thanks to the slightly confused all the time stare of Sandra Bullock and the youthful and supremely good at brown-nosing Ryan Reynolds, whose Victoria Sponge performance complimented the professionalism of Bullock. – ‘The Proposal’ has already a sequel lined-up. – Yet more light sponge entertainment on the menu.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To the Bribe and Broom ================
The initial five minutes of ‘The Proposal’ is captivating, witty, and very well timed; which is what you expect from a Choreographer turned Director in Fletcher. The pace dies down when the leading actors are in-place in their roles and the characters are enrolled to the audience. Margaret Tate, wonderfully played by Sandra Bullock is the executive editor-in-chief of a book publishing company, Colden Books and her PA, Andrew Paxton who was her feather duster amongst other utensils was played by Ryan Reynolds. Margaret Tate; is a tyrant in the office, going by the internal messaging regarding her whereabouts and mood swings. Her presence alone would make her workforce skit along as if they had 20 shots in their lattes; a lady with no grace, total focus and a derogative nature to other ideals, a bit like your regular jumped-up women boss who has a Harriet Harman
life sized portrait in the front room. Cursed with a sideway scowl that always gets men jumpy, and nauseating on tender hooks waiting for the tantrum tears that prelude a 3 minute discussion that would have involved some confrontation. Bullock got this incitement on the money; without over acting and evidently held back on too many tantrums. The high eye brow technique was enough for Andrew Paxton to cometh the hour with the word ‘MUG’ on his forehead, analytically speaking.
Fletcher, who obviously spent so many hours in the editing suite, had notably researched on ‘The Green Card’ and ‘Maid in Manhatten’ movies; mixed with Candolisa Rice’s wardrobe. Quite a cocktail of influences suffice within the movie. Tate has a problem with her work Visa as it had expired due to Tate’s female mismanagement. Time was the essence as sharp shooting Tate quickly embarked on her illegal intentions with her PA, Andrew Paxton who spent an mighty uncomfortable read between the line dialogue with Corden Books Chiefs, and his notoriously manipulative boss Miss Tate. The facial exchanges were made for legendary viewing; that flirted with hilarity and toiled by an undertone of discomfort. - Margaret “We, wanted it to be a secret, but the time is right, for our true feelings to be told”. – Andrew “Our true feelings????” - I wanted ‘BlackAdder’ to drop down from the ceiling and scream out – ‘Its’all lies, I tell you!’ but I was silently disappointed as Tate’s deceitfulness leapt to new bounds as Andrew systematically became her ‘broom’. Still in a state of bewilderment and dutiful beyond recognition; the freefalling starts on an epic journey that forces reality to different realms, what I would say is the ultimate ‘bribe’. Fletcher certainly got her hands on approach as feminism is rife within its language and dialogue metaphors.
The Proposal is a journey of two minds working at different levels simultaneously yet seemed to click perfectly at times, with an added on scene chemistry and total bewilderment; great ingredients for ‘off the wall’ comedy. I stereotype this as ‘drop jaw’ humor that stems from scenes that stimulate behavior requirements from other actors to create the humor. Ryan Reynolds did that remarkably well as his situation spiraled into chaos, forcing his hand to boldly go where no other being has done before; start setting some rules to Margaret Tate, marking boundaries just as a tiger would in its favorite area of grazing. – Compromises were wrapped up in business ‘deals’ that Tate would easily understand as her own deportation to her birth land of Canada was a big risk to her and her successful career, bribing lap-dog Andrew came part of a three year habit for Tate.
Andrew was holding a few aces of his own as the quiet retiring PA took command in aspects that Tate couldn’t get in her ‘small Tate world of manipulating Andrew’. – Andrew knew a lot about Margaret’s endeavors and stored them up, just in case Tate had sprung a related topic for him to resolve. Reading was his love, books were his life and weirdly Margaret was part of that, with all its warts and welcome mat treatment, he was willing to put up with these minor discrepancies; even for the possibilities of being a jail-bird, with a hefty fine. – It’s ironic that in real terms that Reynolds is in fact Canadian and Bullock is a US citizen, reversing roles so reality wasn’t too far from Fletcher’s vision having known both of them well.
When it came to meeting Andrew’s folks to celebrate his Grand-Ma’s 90th Birthday in a small home-town in Alaska; in pursuit of carrying on the masquerade, the difference is that the tide had changed completely. Margaret was on his turf, his way of life before the big smoke took him away. Many surprises were in store as the real Andrew materialized as did the delightful Betty White who played Andrews Grand-Ma; her role was courteous, adventurous and filthy; her charms were explored in outlandish terms. Fletcher, allowed White to take control of her own portrayal of Grand-Ma and the wicked ‘filth’ that for me was the cherry on top of the cherry slice. Her undertones of wanting to be a great grandma was genius; watch-out for the quilt scene. The powers of superstitions run riot when wedding bells are on the horizon. Traditions become deeper inbred than originally thought as Margaret and Andrew tread the tight-rope of deceit by pulling the wool over Andrews loving family eyes.
It opened up a new life for Margaret being part of a close family unit, something she never actually had. This is turn opened up a different Margaret that viewed her own values and ethics as she starts to warm to Andrew’s character and passion for reading and writing. – Grace Paxton and Joe Paxton, Andrew’s parents were competently played by Mary Steenburgen and Craig T Nelson. A rich well to do couple which held great respect within their Alaskan community. A special mention to the ‘major stubbornness’ of business guru Joe whose workaholic ethics had transpired itself to Andrews dogged head down attitude, even when his job description was headed ‘Margaret’s broom’. – Flirting with the US governmental authorities on their heels, which seemed to involve a huge amount of smirking and highly arrogant one-liners that deemed to me Fletcher certainly had done a crazy amount of research within this area, as authorities generally tend to be sly foxes when out on a hunch, or so we are led to believe. I would be more impressed if the authorities carried a white cat and had an irritating twitch. – The Proposal isn’t about what happens in the end it is about relationships and personal interactions; but how they get to that point.
Fletcher got this movie wrapped up and bailed out with all her Directorship credentials all intact. A steady performance by her helped on by a superb array of talent across the trailer campsite.
Margaret; mines a cinnamon latte, the next-time you’re in town. Thank you for reading - I’m interested to hear your comments.
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