The Two Sandras

I didn't imagine this year for Sandra Bullock. Hollywood isn't often kind to its romcom superstars once they near 40. Meg Ryan got the boot at 39 once Proof of Life and the Russell Crowe affair scandal hit. Global love for Julia Roberts cooled at around 37 as soon as she did, speaking figuratively, in Closer. By standard pop-culture/Hollywood timetables everyone will be pretending they never loved Amy Adams, Drew Barrymore and Reese Witherspoon between the years of 2012 and 2015. This is all both a real shame and expected for careers built on warmth and *new romance* appeal in an industry that privileges youth over talent and in a country that's youth-obsessed. Aging is tough enough in real life. Imagine how tough it is for celebrities who are asked to constantly embody our romantic dreams and beauty ideals? But things are getting better for actresses in the grand scheme of things. I mean, the media powers-that-be used to take shots at actresses as early as their mid30s. The resurgent bankability of Meryl Streep is a well-documented and hopefully paradigm shifting success story. Though very few people have ever been able to measure up to Streep at any age, I still consider it a good sign.

Sandra Bullock's age (45) is a non-issue for a super mom story like The Blind Side, which has just become her biggest hit ever (if you don't adjust for inflation -- otherwise it's probaby still Speed) but I thought it was one of the more interesting components of The Proposal, which I finally got around to watching this weekend.

The hit comedy does a rather awkward dance (once very literally -- I don't wanna talk about that dread drumming rap sequence!) trying to juggle its slapstick impulses with its heart-tugging. But it's easy to forgive its messy and crude storytelling since its a project that lives or dies by charm and chemistry. Ryan Reynolds & Sandra have both. Thus, big hit!


Most screen romances between older women and younger men (Ryan is 12 years younger) not only notice the discrepancy but they obsess over it. This one doesn't. The ubiquitous "cougar" pejorative never enters the picture. Instead, the idea that She's the Boss sucks up any and all heteronormative panic that the movie can muster. [Spoilers!] The movie is so nervous about this power imbalance that it effortfully and repeatedly tries to right this "wrong". It has to take place on Reynold's turf (his parent's home) and by his rules (he rewrites her "deal" very quickly) and has to even present him as both the dominating sexual and emotional force of the relationship. It even has to reveal that he's also wealthy. The Proposal is so nervous about this power imbalance that it literally cedes him all the power in the relationship by film's end; Up to and including the totally embarrassing and highly improbable off camera co-worker shout out "Show her who's boss!" when the couple seals their surprise romance with a kiss. [/Spoilers]

Never mind that that kind of public display would get you fired at most corporations (especially since they are technically boss and subordinate -- imagine the legal liabilities) for this is a fantasy. And maybe it's a fantasy that the movie never makes an issue of her age either, but it's still the movie's sole step in a progressive direction. Otherwise the screenplay of The Proposal is pandering regressive stuff throughout. I wanted to offer it up like a helpless fluffy puppy for a bird of prey only... well... it's hard to hate on account of all the cuteness.

Rather surprisingly Sandra's broad comic moments were my least favorite part of the performance. And comedy is her bread and butter. The movie opens with a baldly obvious 'You loved the Devil Wears Prada. You'll love this too!' set up. 'Sandra is a bitch on wheels! Watch her subordinates freak out when she enters the building.' It's a "gird your loins!" comic set piece only it's not funny. Bullock is no Streep. The problem is that Bullock is not very good at playing bitchy. This only worked for her in Crash and then just marginally so. Her screen persona is too warm and cuddly. The thaw of the ice queen is only a fascinating onscreen trope when the queen is believably chilly. She's better at the small comic awkwardness of how and when to touch her fake fiance. Ironically, I thought she was much stronger in the dramatic parts of the film, where she reveals her loneliness, or when she tells Reynolds "I'm scared" when she admits her romantic feelings.


And weirdly, I find the reverse true of The Blind Side: While her overall restraint is admirable (there's a lot of cartoonish mugging, both dramatic and comedic, surrounding her) she's not a gifted enough dramatic actress to make the adoptive mother all that interesting. The true selling point is her indisputable star charisma, which she's smart enough to trust to do the heavy lifting / film carrying. What's finally endearing about the character is the tiny accumulation of comic details. She rarely pushes a laugh line but she still gets laughs.

in conclusion
Sandra Bullock "The Blind Side" > Sandra Bullock in "The Proposal"
(but her Blind Side comedy > Blind Side drama and her Proposal drama > Proposal comedy)
it's so confusing!

but
The Proposal > The Blind Side
(totally. though it's a low stakes contest)

Which Sandra do you prefer? And would you have nominated her for that comedic Golden Globe? Or do you still think she was best in Speed (1994) and While You Were Sleeping (1995) because... maybe I do.
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