Bullock is no Streep

Rating: 4/10 (19 March 2012)

An ambitious young person has to deal with an arrogant, strict, unhappy, over-ambitious and mean boss and deal with her every whim. Sound familiar? The Proposal is in a way a copy of The Devil Wears Prada, be it that instead of a mother-daughter relationship, this one has romantic possibilities.
Sandra Bullock, however is no Streep, and that's what makes this movie so much less entertaining to watch. To play mean is not to be mean, and instead of deploying all the wonderful techniques that the lady with the three academy awards has to her disposal, Bullock just is a bitchy whiner. She never really is scary or powerful. She seems reluctant to be perceived as mean by the audience, and that takes any venom out of her remarks or actions.
Ryan Reynolds does not make up for that lack of credibility by never being really terrified. Bullock's character just tires him.
The plot has enough twists and lines to make the movie take flight, but it doesn't happen. The grandma could be the one that makes us laugh, but Betty White is no Streep either and just plays the clown, which is almost never funny. If you create a scene where an old lady thanks the Godmother in the woods dressed in a rug, the actress needs to take that ritual as serious as possible. Not act as if she is dressing up for a family play.
Comedy is the hardest form of acting, and this movie is proof of that.