A Comedy Based on a Strange Crush/Obsession

Word of the day: cruciverbalist-a crossword puzzle constructor.  Yes, that’s the main character’s occupation at the local newspaper in this slightly off balanced comedy starring Sandra Bullock as Mary Horowitz, a puzzler of many sorts indeed. Also co-starring is Bradley Cooper as Steve, the camera man, and Thomas Haden Church as Hartman, the newscaster with the Marlboro man looks. The story centers on Mary’s individuality and her obsession for Steve. I adore Sandra Bullock as an actress and she did a great job with this role, the main problem is that when you try to write a comedy centering on a mental disorder it usually doesn’t work. In this case, it bombed.

Mary isn’t your everyday sort of gal, she talks, or shall I say rambles, unnecessarily to anyone that will listen. During my teaching days I came across one such student that had a similar uniqueness. This particular student was diagnosed with ‘Asperger’s Syndrome’ and one of the characteristics of the disorder is speaking in monologue; which means speaking to anyone that will listen and on the topic of the talker’s choice. The talker really doesn’t care if you interject or not as they are quite happy to continue speaking about their topic of choice without interruption. Unfortunately Mary has this disorder and we are subjected to it throughout the entire film. At one point in the film, she is talking so much on the bus that the bus driver simply stops the bus and tells her to get off and before she’s on to the next sentence, the bus has sped away and the passengers are cheering. This is an example of what was supposed to be a funny scene. I viewed it as painful. 

Mary’s parents feel sorry for her as she’s over forty, not married and has no boyfriend. They set her up on a blind date with Bradley Cooper and before he can get his van in gear to leave for their date she romantically attacks him. I’m talking like he just came home from a five year hiatus. It’s a crazy scene and of course Steve thinks it’s a little strange but what the heck? Mary’s wearing a red lace bra, a black sequin micro-mini skirt and red shiny knee boots and no matter how hard you try you can’t disguise Sandra Bullock’s gorgeous looks, so there you have it— Steve most definitely plays along. Steve’s mistake was asking Mary to join him in Boston on his next assignment of which he never thought she’d actually show up. Mary does show up, however, and continues to show up for the duration of the movie; And she continues wearing those shiny red boots everywhere she goes.  

Steve is repeatedly shocked when Mary proceeds to ‘stalk’ him as she follows him from story to story. What he doesn’t know is that she’s being coached by Hartman, the newsman, to carry on her advances as Mary is a walking encyclopedia. Hartman uses her for background information regarding his ‘on the scene news reporting’. Again, I felt sorry for Mary as she’s being lied to by Hartman. 

What is interesting about the film is the way in which the news is sensationalized and the extent the newscasters go to cover stories. This part I found enlightening and comical. The scenes with Mary, I found sad.  I certainly agree that individual’s uniqueness’s are special and one should try and feel as comfortable in his own skin as possible, I just don’t think that this character should have been portrayed in a comedy. Mary does win in the end but I’m not sure her journey was worth the struggle.

Sarah Adamson © 2009