The Proposal (2009)

Romantic comedy directed by Anne Fletcher. 

High-powered businesswoman Margaret (Sandra Bullock) will be deported and lose her job at a New York publishing firm unless she gets married to an American. She forces her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) to go along with the plan. They travel to his family home in Alaska, where – in trying to convince his family and immigration agent that they’re in love – they inevitably fall in love for real. 

It sounds formulaic but there are some genuinely funny moments and the script is finely tuned enough to sparkle. 

Sandra Bullock is likeable as a hard-edged bully who slowly reveals her vulnerabilities. A ludicrous scene in which a small dog is carried off by an eagle actually works. 

The strong cast also includes Mary Steenburgen and Betty White.

The Heartbreak Kid (2007)

Crass, unfunny comedy starring Ben Stiller as a man who marries a woman he’s not suited to (Malin Åkerman) only to then meet the woman of his dreams (Michelle Monaghan). 

It’s almost entirely devoid of humour. There are “jokes” at the expense of gay people, fat people and Mexicans. Even worse is a section in which Stiller attempts to cross the US border illegally. This ends up troubling and not remotely amusing.  

Stiller and Monaghan are OK and nearly develop some chemistry, but the ugly sentiments of the script deny them any real depth or warmth.