It's a Movie Verson of a Magazine, Which Isn't Always a Bad Thing

Rating: 7/10 (16 November 2009)

This lightweight romantic comedy mostly lands its jokes, thanks to the considerable comedic chemistry of its stars, Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.
Bullock and Reynolds have zero sexual chemistry, but they make a good comedy team, and for this film that matters more. The premise is pure sitcom -- boss forces assistant to marry her so that she can stay in the country -- but it's executed well. It's the film equivalent of a magazine: everything, including the people in it, is shiny, glossy and attractive, and you can zone out and enjoy it without flexing one single brain muscle.
God knows Hollywood doesn't get romantic comedies right very often anymore, so this film came across as a pleasant surprise.
The cast also includes Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson as Reynolds' parents, and Betty White as his grandma, and whose little-old-lady-cute-as-a-button appeal is forced on us a little too strenuously.
Grade: A