Romantic Comedy

I like watching films that are both fun and funny, and two that are out currently fit the marquee: My Life in Ruins and The Proposal. A good romantic comedy requires a strong female lead (think Doris Day; okay, Julia Roberts), as well as an adorable male (think Rock Hudson before we knew he was gay, back when every woman wanted him--or Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman), stirred up with a somewhat believable storyline in a gorgeous setting. After all, if it's going be make-believe, make sure we can believe it!

My Life in Ruins is funny, with the same tongue-in-cheek approach to the humor found in My Greek Wedding, which also stars Nia Vardalos, who plays the tour guide in the current film. The storyline is weak and the acting isn't very good, especially from the leading man, but the supporting cast props up an otherwise weak presentation. Richard Dreyfuss is almost not recognizable in the film (age + body mass), but he has a solid role that has to be played well for the film to work -- and he does the job. The romantic male lead, however, isn't all that attractive, lacks charisma, stumbles his way through the scenes he's in, and could have been better cast to be worth the effort of seducing him. Nia, of course, shines in her native environment and really sells the premise of being a tour guide in the land she loves. She also comes across pretty sexy when that's what her scenes call for, but the object of her affection? Well, he's just not that into her.

On the other hand, The Proposal is both fun and funny, with leading characters who complement one another and add the extra dimension of body language to a pretty cliche script. Sandra Bullock has been quoted as saying that she's tired of doing romantic comedies, that she wants something more in her career, but boy, does she sell the story, which, in the hands of a less-skilled actress, would have fizzled! In this film, she's the boss, a smart, demanding career woman whose male executive assistant seems to know his place in the hierarchy of the office. When she switches gears on him and maneuvers him into a sham marriage to obtain citizenship so she can keep her job, he seems almost sheep-like in his go along to get along reaction, an apparent character flaw that has its roots in Alaska. I don't want to spoil the story as what seems to be going one direction actually goes another, all the while maintaining its predictability. The end result is a great date movie and/or Sunday afternoon/rain/popcorn flick when it comes out on DVD.

If I only could afford one movie on the big screen, I'd go see The Proposal, but if I want to take a vicarious trip to Greece, I'd see My Life in Ruins again because the scenery is better than the actual film. The two friends with me have both been to Greece several times and assure me that's just what it looks like from the air, but when the tourist boots are on the ground, it's an entirely different story.

There's one more film on my to-do list, Julia/Julie, but I don't think it's been released yet. I may see The Hangover, but I can tell you right now I'd enjoy it a whole lot more if my son were here to share it with me and critique it over B-R sundaes!

Aside: I'm not sure why, but the theater was filled with males today; as a matter o' fact, far more males than either females or couples. I'm not sure why that is, but they really enjoyed The Proposal, laughing, making comments, and, at one point, applauding. Interesting; very interesting.