The Proposal (Blu-Ray)

Disney | 108 minutes | 2009 | PG-13 | Directed by: Anne Fletcher |
Blu-Ray reviewed by: Matt Brighton

I've not really been a fan of Sandra Bullock since her "Speed" days though I will admit that I have enjoyed her in some roles here and there. Essentially I take her with a grain of salt and that's that. Now Ryan Reynolds on the other hand, well I really can't get enough of the guy! Reynolds, a Canadian-born actor, has had some pretty unforgettable roles of late and I loved him in "Blade: Trinity" where he plays nearly the same role as he did in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". 2009 seems to be the year of Ryan Reynolds as he's had starring roles in four major films: the previously mentioned "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", "Paper Man", "Adventureland" and "The Proposal". Oh and to top it off he's married to Scarlett Johansson - the lucky guy. However this isn't an essay on Ryan Reynolds, moreover it's a review of his latest film come to Blu-Ray - "The Proposal". Let's dive right in to the intricate plot.

Reynolds plays Andrew Paxton, an eager go-getter whose boss, Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is the epitome of what everyone thinks bosses are like. Margaret is the executive editor of Colden Books and loves her job. But things can't always be as they seem and a few things happen where Margaret is in danger of being deported to Canada (personally I didn't know you could be deported to Canada, but evidently you can be). Margaret, always quick on her feet, quickly announces that she's engaged to Andrew and he reluctantly accepts under the condition that he's given a promotion. The duo then head to his neck of the woods, Alaska, where they meet his somewhat eccentric family. All the while an immigration agent has to be convinced that their love is genuine, else the deal is off. Are Margaret and Andrew genuinely made for each other or will their sham be publicized?

Movies like this are fun to watch...once. I won't deny that there's some charm in "The Proposal" but by and large it's very predictable and one could pretty much tell what's going to happen by simply watching the trailer. Certainly Bullock and Reynolds have some chemistry and that's a large part of what makes the film work. For the record, I enjoyed Bullock in what could be described as this movie's twin: "Two Weeks Notice". In that Bullock played the assistant and fell in love with her boss, played by Hugh Grant. In fact, I'd recommend that movie over this one; but that's just me. "The Proposal" is a good date movie or something to sit down and kill two hours, but I doubt that it'll be one you pull off your shelf a few times a year. I'd recommend this as a rental, but die hard fans might see enough value to add it to their collection.

"The Proposal" comes to Blu-Ray in a fine-looking 2.40:1 AVC HD transfer that really shines. The movie is a big budget studio film, so we can expect it to look at least better than average. And, true to form, it does. The colors are bold and strong throughout and the scenery of the Alaskan wilderness is something to behold. There are plenty of city shots and we can see the fine details in the buildings, windows and so on. It's really a testament to how clear some of these images really are that you can make out the patters on the buildings. Fleshtones seem warm and natural as well. All in all, a good transfer and I doubt anyone will have complaints as to how this looks on Blu-Ray.

As is the standard, "The Proposal" sports a DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack that has some surprisingly good moments. Usually romantic comedies aren't synonymous with good sound, but I found parts of this really robust. Dialogue is clean and strong, lacking any distortion. Surrounds play a good part as well, adding some ambiance to selected scenes. By and large, the front stage takes most of the audio, but the LFE kick in from time to time to announce their presence.

This is a two disc set, though the second disc only contains a digital copy of the film. The first disc has a commentary track by director Anne Fletcher and writer Peter Chiarelli and the duo give an average track with comments about the shooting locations and of course the interplay between Bullock and Reynolds. An alternate ending is also included as are some deleted scenes with optional commentary. As a bonus to the Blu-Ray there's an additional deleted scene, so if you needed that extra push to go Blu - now you have it. Finally there's some outtakes, mostly of Reynolds and Bullock.