A banner year for Bullock?
There are some things I just don’t get—metaphysical theory, Blackberries, the logistics and appeal of Bump-Its — I don’t love ‘em, I don’t hate ‘em, but I just don’t get it. Usually, when a fad is culturally Greek-to-me, I try to avoid it and just continually ask “why?” This isn’t always as easy at the movies.
In 2009, the only thing bigger than space cats was, for me, a head-scratcher. I’m talking about Sandra Bullock and her inexplicable “banner year.” Between her starring turns in just two films, Bullock raked in almost $550,000,000 worldwide. She charmed audiences in her romantic “The Proposal” and dazzled critics in “The Blind Side,” earning early Oscar buzz and winning both a Golden Globe and a SAG award this month.
Good news for Bullock, but big source of confusion for me. I thought “The Proposal” was a joke when I saw the trailer — Do they really think we’ll believe Sandra Bullock can play opposite the doe-eyed Ryan Reynolds in a romantic comedy? I was wrong, they did believe.
I’d been cracking Sandra Bullock jokes for the last five years — I mean, her last big roles were in “Premonition” and “The Lake House.” Sure, she was a breakout star in “Speed” and busted guts in “Miss Congeniality,” but are those really the bedrocks of an award-winning career? I spent ’09 indelibly frustrated — how could this has-been B-lister be a critical and box office star?
I reached my breaking point when Bullock received a Golden Globe for her work in “The Blind Side.” During my routine rant of how undeserving this hack was, somebody asked, “Well, did you see it?” No. No, in fact, I hadn’t seen any Sandra Bullock vehicle besides “Miss Congeniality.” I decided in all fairness to see what the fuss was about. I promptly Netflixed “The Proposal” and vowed to watch it with an open mind, no Bullock-bashing or “Blind Side” rants.
And to be honest, I kind of liked it. It’s no work of art, and not even extremely funny. But it’s a charming little movie with a charming little star that I couldn’t help but like.
Bullock, who I researched after the viewing, is actually a very accomplished self-made entertainer — a German immigrant who began singing opera at a young age, worked through performance school and now also runs her own production company. There is a particular America’s sweetheart quality about her I underestimated. Someone so eager and sincere is easy to root for — even in the dopey “Proposal.”
It was a surprising but gratifying revelation. I’ve spent years sidestepping movies I’m sure to hate — even if they’ve come recommended from friends. I’ll take Sandra as a signpost, begging me to just loosen up. I’m resolving here and now to become less picky of a moviegoer in the year 2010.
As of right now, I don’t know if I can cool my jets about “The Blind Side’s” inevitable Oscar win, but I guess I’ll have to wait and watch it for myself.
