He became big in Hollywood when he was in “The Proposal” with Sandra Bullock. It was her BIG year, movie-wise, and the film made a bunch of money. I think he’s still riding on that.
I think he also became more “famous” in part because of his rather…successful…bulking up for the Wolverine movie. A body like that makes for great Hollywood advertising.
I recommend everyone that doesn’t have severe claustrophobia go watch Buried. It’s on Netflix instant, even.
The movie is Ryan Reynolds buried in a shallow grave, talking to various people on the phone (his kidnapper, people trying to rescue him, etc…)
He does a great job with the limited scope of what he can do. And he only barely channels his “inner douche” that he usually plays in movies (I have to wonder if the director had him do it on purpose as a sort of “in joke”.) Minor spoiler:
In the process of calling people to get them aware of his situation, he calls his sister-in-law. Rather than say, “Hey, I’m in a lot of trouble here, can you please get me the emergency number for XYZ,” he just sort of orders her to do it, screams when she asks why, what the problem is, etc…he then gets all angry and calls her a bitch, so she hangs up on him…seems very out of character for the character he plays in that movie, but very in character for almost any of his other roles…
As a guess, a total worldwide box office of 1.5 Billion is the answer to the question. See here: http://boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=ryanreynolds.htm. Scroll to the bottom and look at the Wordwide chart. A few genuine duds, not even pulling in a million but those are from 3-4 years ago. Last years “Fireflies in the Garden”, which I had never heard of, did nothing in the U.S. but got some play overseas. “The Whale” is a documentary that he narrates, so no big deal on a low box office (and released only in the U.S. with Reynolds as narrator.) Looking at the first listing, unadjusted for inflation Reynolds is averaging 37 mil. per movie. Not bad. He can live off of X-Men Origins and The Proposal for a few move films would be my guess.
Well, I must admit, I like that idea.
If Green Lantern had been a hit, it probably would have propelled him to A-list. But it wasn’t, and so it didn’t.
He had already bulked up for Blade III and did a complete reversal from the goofy parts he’d played before. So maybe people started saying, “hmmm…”
That’s all I got.
His role as a proto-hipster dilettante in Adventureland was excellent. Otherwise he’s a dusposable romcom player and a never-was action guy.
Brutal movie. Hated it. Actually Like Ryan Reynolds (Definitely, Maybe), but did not like that movie one bit -
Spoiler - do not read it you plan to watch it, seriously:
I actually said to my husband, this is going to end with them going to the wrong spot, isn’t it? I was so incredibly frustrated at how stupid the character was, all through the movie…
Saw it and thought he could be The Next Big Thing, being pretty, bland, and inoffensive. Brad Pitt, but taller. Didn’t happen. When he does his own 12 Monkeys I’ll start paying attention again.
He’s not boring. He has inate comedic timing which can’t be taught; he was born with it, just look at his face (always on the verge of breaking into a brwaaaahaaa.) And he’s cute, too.
Who he beds has nothing to do with his ability. No matter what the girls want to think. 
Tabloids need print; those who do, continue to do so no matter how much kelp they have to struggle with, evolving out of the ocean of Slush Pile.
Absolutely. The kid cracks me up, which is a natural.
He reminds me of Chevy Chase with all of the good and bad that implies.
Yeah, his comic timing is good. That’s why I was so excited when I heard he might be involved in a remake of Fletch.
Perhaps this will help.
I’m not much for the “blockbuster” type movies, so I can’t really say much about his acting in the bigger budget stuff. I hadn’t really heard of him before I watched The Nines, and I really liked him in that one. I watched it in 2008, it was released in 2007. It’s on Netflix Instant now if anyone’s interested in giving that a go. I haven’t watched Buried but it’s in my queue, and now I’m not sure if I should remove it. I’ll probably leave it there for a while.
And THAT is now my favorite Ryan Reynolds Movie. He calls Betty White a seething demon.
And I actually liked him in Green Lantern (after all these serious Batman-esque heroes, it was fun to have a fratboy that just thought it was BitCHIN! to have powers). But then that whole movie was kinda B-List.
I like him, but have enjoyed only a few of his movies, and most of his last few.
I would say not A-list if only because I do not know who Ryan Reynolds is. I don’t think I was even aware that there was some sort of celebrity by that name. I just Googled him fully expecting that I’d see his picture and go “Oh yeah, that guy who was in that thing”, but I don’t recognize him at all. It looks like the only thing he’s ever been in that I saw was Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, and that was a minor role.
Since a bunch of other posters here did recognize the name I am probably somewhat out of touch, but I’d say an A-list star is one whose name and face would be recognized even by those who *are *somewhat out of touch.
Oops, I was thinking Ryan Gosling. Or is he Reynolds?:dubious: