Enjoyable And Funny

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2009)

This is most definitely the definition of a "chick-flick" but I have to say that it's also one of the better romantic comedies I've seen in quite a while, highlighted by a very good chemistry between stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Bullock's Margaret Tate is an employee's nightmare as the hard-driving boss at a New York City publishing company, while Reynolds as Andrew Paxton is her long-suffering assistant. Unfortunately, Margaret is a Canadian who's about to be deported, and the only out for her is to get married to Andrew so that she can stay in the country. This leads to a fun romp in Alaska, since Margaret, to satisfy the US immigration authorities, is forced to join Andrew in visiting his family for a weekend in the far north. The weekend represents an epiphany of sorts for Margaret as she's reminded what the warmth and love of family really is, as she bonds especially with Andrew's mother and grandmother, and then eventually begins to fall for Andrew himself. Craig T. Nelson and Mary Steenburgen played Andrew's parents, but the best supporting role was certainly that of Betty White as Andrew's grandmother. The movie is exactly what a romantic comedy should be - gently but not outrageously funny, with director Anne Fletcher showing a deft touch as she gradually builds the romance between Andrew and Margaret.
One minor criticism might revolve around the need for someone to coach Bullock in how a Canadian would pronounce "Toronto." She insisted on saying "To-ron-To" whereas a real Canadian would say something like "Tuh-Ron-uh" (the second "t" not generally being pronounced, and certainly not emphasized.) That, however, is a minor criticism (albeit one I noticed as a Canadian.) 8/10