The Proposal's Sandra Bullock, Oscar nominee Thomas Haden Church, and The Hangover's Bradley Cooper star in a hilarious tale of a woman who, after falling hard for a guy, thinks they're an item; unfortunately, he thinks she's stalking him?
Bullock's Mary Horowitz is a cruciverbalist - a crossword puzzle constructor. Her brain spins at warp speed with an endless stream of arcane information. She can come up with the perfect word - and dozens with the same meaning - at a moment's notice, but "normal" behavior eludes her.
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All About Steve Movie Review
Sandra Bullock has developed a comedic style where her misfit characters are slightly exaggerated, but so emotionally grounded, that in spite of her slapstick antics, we find ourselves caring for her. It is while we are laughing at her and with her, that she sneaks in little moral messages. And, when implemented correctly, we come out a little better and wiser in the end.
Sandy is very likable, and when matched with the proper co-star, she’s endearing. However, in All About Steve, she spends so much time chasing Bradley Cooper, a behavior I completely understand, that we never really see them together longer enough to see if their chemistry works.
This movie is not as emotionally satisfying as her last film, The Proposal. I found All About Steve to be less of a romantic comedy and more of a social satire. The film questions the integrity of our news media and asks the question, what’s normal? For me the culminating scene is when Thomas Hayden Church, playing a vain, glory seeking, news reporter, approaches a group of protesters who have now become well wishers and supporters of Mary, Sandra Bullock’s character. When one of the well wishers steps up to him, the well wisher points to the news media and all the chaos and frenzy that surrounds them. He then says, “That is what you created.” Then he indicates the crowd behind him holding a silent vigil and says, “This is what Mary created.”
Throughout the entire film the new media mocked the very people that they were exploiting. Without hitting us over the head, the movie asks us, which is crazier, the people making the signs and burning candles, while standing out all day showing their support, or the news media, who interviews, features them, and feigns mock sympathy.
Throughout all the laughter, this film gave me a lot to think about. I enjoyed the humor, but I appreciated the message as well. To quote Bradley Cooper’s imperative to Ms. Bullock, “Stay as you are, don’t change a bit.”
Melanie Wilson
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com
Release Date: September 4, 2009 (20th Century Fox)
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Adventure
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, Thomas Haden Church, Ken Jeong
