So, it's February. In the land of Thursday Movie Picks, that means we're focusing on romance. For this week, in particular, our magnanimous host, Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves has chosen the topic of fake relationships.
Sigh.
I gotta be honest. In general, I dislike these movies. I usually find them overly contrived and, if they're comedies, unfunny. There are some exceptions, but not enough to get me excited. Basically, I'm not feeling romantic about this topic. However, if these kinds of thing are your bag, steer clear of these...
The Wedding Date
(2005)
See if you can guess how this plays out. Debra Messing is embarrassed that she's single and about to attend her sister's wedding, and so will her ex-fiancée. To make him jealous, she hires a hunky male escort played by Dermot Mulroney to pretend to be her boyfriend. I'm nodding because I know what you're thinking, and yeah, it plays out just like that. I mean, it's all in the gif. And it's crap.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
(2007)
A couple of hetero wannabe alpha males pretend to be a gay couple in order for get better health insurance, or some nonsense. I could tell that it travels in broad stereotypes that were dated the day it was released. I could tell you that Rob Schneider's "yellow face" would make Mickey Rooney cringe. I could tell you that it revels in its own homophobia. I could tell you that every joke thuds like an elephant dropping off a skyscraper and is somehow flatter than the Texas plains. Instead, I'll just say that it stars Adam Sandler and Kevin James and watch the eyes roll out of your head, onto the floor, and cower in the corner due to the threat of having to watch this.
The Proposal
(2009)
The guilty parties here are Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. She plays a high-powered editor-in-chief at a New York publishing company and he plays her assistant. The problem is she's a native Canadian, and suddenly facing deportation. Her solution: make him marry her to fool the immigration officer into letting her stay in the good ol' U.S. of A. The irony is that in real life, she's an American while he's Canadian. Aaaaannnd that's the last interesting thing about this movie.
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Oh shit... we have the same picks. I kinda liked The Wedding Date it's just harmless stupidity while The Proposal is alright. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is shit despite Ving Rhames' performance.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there's no saving I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.
DeleteI love The Proposal, but at least I agree on I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Barely remember a thing about it other than it being dreadful.
ReplyDeleteChuck and Larry being dreadful is all you need to remember.
DeleteMy wife loves The Proposal. There was a time when she watched it weekly--it became a family joke.
ReplyDeleteApparently, lots of folks do. Didn't work for me, at all.
DeleteOkay lets try this again my first response disappeared suddenly. Your picks are very Grinch-like....and that's okay!
ReplyDeleteThe Wedding Date wouldn't be so icky if Dermot Mulroney's character wasn't a whore. Somehow I think the people behind Chuck and Larry didn't mean to it to be so demeaning but nonetheless it is. The Proposal is the best of the three. Not that makes it a classic or anything, it's just less awful. Beautiful setting and Betty White help.
I don't mind the fake relationship trope but it depends on the movie and how it's played, even if I know how it's going to turn out from minute one. I enjoyed these three.
Picture Perfect (1997)-Kate Mosley (Jennifer Aniston) toils in a junior position at a big New York advertising agency and despite her competence cannot seem to get ahead. Turns out her boss feels she is too much of a free spirit and tells her he needs to see her commitment to settling down before she moves up in the company. So when she goes to a wedding and has a picture taken with a stranger named Nick (Jay Mohr) she passes him off as her fiancée earning her a promotion. Since he lives in Boston all is well with the deception until he becomes famous by saving a child from a burning building and her boss wants to meet him. On the spot she finds Nick and convinces him to play along but complications ensue. Bright, breezy romcom with a terrific cast.
Come Live with Me (1941)-Viennese immigrant Johnny Jones (a ravishing Hedy Lamarr) is in danger of being deported unless she gets married pronto. The problem is that her wealthy boyfriend, publisher Barton Kendrick (Ian Hunter) is already married and wife Diana (Verree Teasdale) isn’t about to give him a divorce! By chance she meets broke writer Bill Smith (James Stewart) and proposes a marriage of convenience. Instantly smitten Bill goes along but has ideas of his own. Though they seem polar opposites Hedy and Jimmy make a most compatible couple.
Hired Wife (1940)-To avoid a hostile takeover of his cement company CEO Stephen Dexter (Brian Aherne) proposes an in name only marriage to his super-efficient secretary Kendal (Rosalind Russell) so he can transfer his assets to her name. She consents but when the danger is passed and Stephen wants a divorce so he can return to his gold-digging former girlfriend Phyllis (Virginia Bruce) Kendal, who carries a torch for him, pulls all sorts of tricks and ploys to maintain the ruse. Roz was one of the queens of this sort of screwy comedies in the 40’s and she’s a vivacious delight here.
Yes, I'm owning my Grinch-ness this week.
DeleteGiven the filmography of Adam Sandler, which includes lots of films he came up with the concept for, I'm not entirely sure it wasn't meant to be mean spirited. At the very least, it's terribly insensitive humor under the guise of being "edgy."
Haven't seen any of your choices. To be honest, can't say that I'm in a rush for any of them.
I was getting ready to comment "phew, glad I avoided these!" and then you chose my favourite ever romcom as your 3rd pick! I can accept it for what it is, though!
ReplyDeleteIt's okay. None of us are perfect, lol.
DeleteI think I'm the only one who didn't pick The Proposal lol
ReplyDeleteIt's popular, which is why I just HAD to go after it.
DeleteI actually enjoyed the Proposal! It's one of my favorite romantic comedies! As for Chuck and Larry, I also found that film to be pretty cringe worthy.
ReplyDeleteLots of folks love The Proposal, so I forgive you.
DeleteYep, I usually steer clear in these types of films, which is why I didn't participate this week.
ReplyDeleteSaying that, I have seen and enjoyed The Proposal. Mostly because I love Ms Bullock. I'll keep avoiding the other two.
I didn't participate last week but I saw The Proposal is a popular pick :-) I'm with you though Dell, not really a fan of these sub-genres. It's hard to make good romantic films that make you truly care for the characters.
ReplyDeleteI meant to write here a week ago and forgot! I chose The Proposal and I don't mind it, it's mindless fun but you know that they are headed to divorce in about, 5 years time. I have not see Chuck & Larry and I believe I saw a French version of this film but done much, much better. I can't seem to find it though through google. I thought Gerard Depardieu was in it but not the star. I have gratefully been able to steer clear of your first pick...sounds too harlequin to me.
ReplyDelete