Plot: What’s it about?
Terry Martin (Nick Moran) has been working undercover for a while now, as he tries to bring a notorious crime boss to justice. His work is very dangerous of course, as one false move and his cover is blown, which means he dies. But he has been flawless thus far and remains unknown, although he has been given some new orders to deal with. The department wants to send in a partner for Martin, in the form of Susan Reese (Jennifer Esposito), who would pretend to be his wife. This could add realism to his cover or be a sign of deception, but Martin agrees and the two continue the operation. The new arrangement seems to work well at first, but then a chain of events threaten to blow the whole mission. As Martin and Reese spend more time within their undercover characters, the lines between reality and fiction start to blur, which leads to an intense romance between the two. As if this wasn’t enough, the crime boss Simon (Stephen Lang) now wants to get personal with Reese also, which complicates everything to an even deeper extent. In this twisted series of people and events, who will emerge in control when it all comes to an end?
I had decent hopes for this film, thanks to a solid premise and a couple actors I like, but I still had my doubts about The Proposal. I was ready to watch the flick when this disc arrived, but after I saw the terrible trailer, I had serious doubts. But of course, trailers are often not a good indication of the films and as such, I pushed ahead and viewed The Proposal. I admit this film was better than the trailer would have you believe, but I still wasn’t that impressed with this picture. The premise is not a new one, but is interesting and thanks to some good writing, it stays more than fresh and supplies some welcome twists. But some rough spots keep this one down, from bad dialogue at times to unexplained events, not the kind of elements you want in a film like this one. The performances from Nick Moran and Jennifer Esposito are more than adequate, but the rest of the cast is not as stable within their roles. In the end, The Proposal would be a good rental choice if you’re interested, but don’t expect too much, or you’ll be let down. I am surprised with the nice treatment given to this release, as it is better than most higher profiles flicks, when it comes to Dimension discs.
Her presence graces the cover of this disc and in truth, Jennifer Esposito’s presence carries this movie at times. I didn’t say her performance, mind you and while her turn is more than solid, her looks and charm serve her better in this case. She is a terrific worker and has real potential, but her inexperience shows at times, though not as much as you might expect. It seems like she knows what her strengths are and focuses on them, which more than makes up for her sometimes lacking traditional skills. I look forward to her future roles and perhaps with some effort, she can become a powerful leading performer. You can also see Esposito in such films as Summer of Sam, Kiss Me Guido, The Bachelor, He Got Game, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and Dracula 2000. The cast also includes Nick Moran (Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, New Blood), William B. Davis (Tv’s The X-Files), Mike Kopsa (Hard Core Logo, Chain of Fools), Brian Jensen (The 6th Day, Screwed), and Stephen Lang (Fire Down Below, Manhunter).
Video: How does it look?
The Proposal is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This looks a lot better than expected, with only some slight grain and edge enhancement to complain about. I knew some grain would surface, but it’s not bad at all and I was never distracted by it in the least. The film’s dark color scheme is well presented, with rich hues and a razor sharp sense of balance. The tones may seem a little muted and dark, but rest assured, that is how things are supposed to look. The contrast comes across well also, no detail loss to be seen and black levels are well balanced as well. I am very pleased here, a more than solid transfer in all respects, good work indeed.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc uses a 2.0 surround track, which sees to handle the material well and leaves little room for complaints. I wasn’t overly impressed here, but then again, this isn’t the kind of movie that needs dynamic audio, so no harm done there. The surround channels see some action from the music and a few more gun driven sequences, which means things never get too inactive and that’s always welcome. The dialogue is clean and always crisp here, never hard to understand and always at a proper volume balance. This disc also includes English subtitles, just in case those come in handy for you and yours.
Supplements: What are the extras?
I am very pleased to report that this disc has some bonus materials, which is not common for Dimension releases. You’ll find a brief behind the scenes featurette and the film’s theatrical trailer, but the best extra is still to be discussed. This comes in the form of an audio commentary track from director Richard Gale, who has some interesting comments to dispatch. His session is a brisk one, informative to be sure, but not dull or slow by any means. I wish Dimension (and the other Buena Vista labels) would include commentaries more often, as they add a lot to a disc’s value.
