Review: The Proposal (2009)

Director: Anne Fletcher (Step Up, 27 Dresses)

Cast: Sandra Bullock (Speed, Miss Congeniality), Ryan Reynolds (Just Friends, Definitely Maybe), Mary Steenburgen (Elf, Joan of Arcadia), Craig T Nelson (Coach, The Incredibles), Betty White (The Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore), Malin Akerman (Watchmen, The Heartbreak Kid), Oscar Nunez (The Office)

The Deal: High-powered book editor Margaret Tate (Bullock) blackmails her assistant Andrew (Reynolds) into marrying her so that she will not be deported back to Canada after violating her work visa. With the government questioning the validity of the marriage, she's forced to travel with Andrew to Alaska to meet his family where the two must fake their new engagement in order to learn enough to fool the investigator. As the two are forced to spend so much time together, they both gain a better understanding of the other, but when the family decides to give them a surprise wedding, things are thrown into chaos.

Thoughts: Yes, this is a pretty predictable and formulaic romantic comedy, but in all reality, what film in that genre isn't? Instead of casting it aside for that sole reason, viewers should give it a chance. It is actually fairly funny the whole way through, and though the premise is very unrealistic, it's unique enough to keep things interesting. Andrew is no fool, and despite being blackmailed, he blackmails her back early on such that the arrangement is mutually beneficial. It's when the family gets involved where we see the human side of the two, and despite it's typical happy ending, the film was entertaining.

The biggest reason this film works is that Reynolds and Bullock have great chemistry on screen. We've always associated Reynolds with being a comedian, but Bullock can be pretty funny herself. What makes them stand out is that they know how to be serious. I'm not talking about winning-an-Oscar serious, but the type of serious that's needed to take a crazy rom-com seriously (wow, that was a lot of "serious"). Betty White is also quite funny. Let's face it, if written properly, the funny grandma can be a goldmine for films, and she is just that.

Verdict: Though it's just as generic and predictable as you'd guess a rom-com to be, The Proposal is actually quite funny and Reynolds and Bullock have great chemistry on screen. ☆☆☆1/2