THE PROPOSAL
Romantic comedy. 2009. 108 min. With Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds and Malin Akerman. Director: Anne Fletcher. 13PGL.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Kim Van Reizig
Canadian Margaret Tate (Bullock) is an ambitious, mean editor-in-chief at an American publishing company and liked by no one - least of all her subservient assistant, Andrew Paxton (Reynolds). Her world comes crashing down when her work permit expires and she learns she may be deported back to Canada and lose her high-ranking job. Her solution? Marry her poor assistant.
Andrew agrees and they begin dating under the eagle eye of a government agent who’s bent on proving their impending marriage is a fake. But when Margaret is forced to spend the weekend with Andrew’s family, where they continue to live their lie, she forms a bond with these down-to-earth, fun-loving folk.
The plot - two unlikely characters hook up and develop feelings for each other when they least expect it - is nothing new. But the leads’ performances will keep you superglued - you’ll love hating Bullock as the arrogant, stuck-up Margaret and adore the already delicious Reynolds who soars from zero to hero.
ADVENTURELAND
Comedy. 2009. 101 min. With Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Ryan Reynolds. Director: Greg Mottola. 16LD.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Willem Möller
His parents can no longer afford to pay his tuition so geeky student - and virgin - James (Eisenberg) is forced to take a summer job at an amusement park. He falls in with a bunch of co-workers who spend most of their time smoking pot, getting drunk and lusting after one another. James falls for pretty Em (Stewart) but she’s having a secret affair with hunky but married Mike (Reynolds).
Greg Mottola made his name with the classic over-the-top teen comedy Superbad (2007). Adventureland has been marketed as his more-of-the-same follow-up - but that was misleading advertising by the distributors. It’s not the gross-out affair you’d expect but rather a bittersweet coming-of-age tale and while there are funny moments the style is low-key and gentle. Sadly the leads fail to make you care what happens to them and the ending is a bit of a cop-out but it’s an entertaining enough watch.
