Who buys the idea of 32 year-old Ryan Reynolds pairing off with 44 year-old Sandra Bullock (who, no offense, is starting to look her age somewhat) in The Proposition (Touchstone, 6.12.09)?
On one level it seems almost exciting — at the very least intriguing — that societal standards are such that an older attractive actress can get away today with the same thing that older male actors have been getting away with for decades, i.e., romantic pairings with women 10, 20 and even 30 years younger. This is how it should be, I feel. The Demi Moore-Ashton Kutcher dynamic can and should work for thousands of couples out there. Why not?
On another level, however, I just don’t buy that a guy like Reynolds would go for a woman like Bullock in real life. Why? In a phrase, she’s just not looking as hot as Moore. She’s a very attractive woman with great bones, yes, but she’s looking fairly 40ish and she just seems too old for him. It sounds brutal to say this, but she’s not smokin’ in a way that would persuade a typical good-looking guy of 32 to say, “Yep, she’s my dream lady — a woman of character, smarts and strength whom I hope to have great sex with for the next 30 or 40 years, or at least for the next 25 or 30 years. And with whom I might want to have kids.” I just don’t buy it.
