Review: The Proposal

Grade: C+

The Proposal is a romantic comedy about Andrew Paxton, and executive assistant to an overbearing book editor named Margaret Tate. Margaret is mean and most people in the office seem to be afraid of her. One day Margaret finds out that her visa from Canada has expired and that she will be deported and fired from the company. She then comes up with the plan to force Andrew to marry her so that she can stay. The company buys it, immigration doesn't so much so they plan on testing the two. In the mean time to try to prove that they are a couple they fly to Alaska for Andrew's grandma's 90th birthday where they will also tell the family that they are engaged. When they get there most of the family is shocked to hear that Andrew is engaged to a person he has claimed to despise for three years. What follows is some funny scenes and many chick flick clichés leading to the very predictable ending.

Like I said, this movie was filled with chick flick clichés. To start you could tell from the trailer that it was going to be a movie about two people who hate each other at first but after a lie and extremely unusual and farfetched circumstances they were going to end up falling in love. This movie also has the most over played cliché of all time for romantic comedies, the somewhat crazy and inappropriate grandmother. This grandmother gropes Margaret Tate, gives the couple a "baby-making" blanket and enjoys going to see the only male stripper in the small Alaskan town. Basically there was nothing really new about this movie and it all played out so very by the book.

Ryan Reynolds (Waiting, Just Friends) plays Andrew Paxton and he really carries most of the humor in the movie. He is very funny in the first half of the movie as he does to his boss exactly what I would have done in that situation, he totally owned her. He was constantly making Margaret do rather embarrassing things (especially for the power and authority she is used to having), such as kneeling to propose to him and the overall experience of going to Alaska to meet his family. Reynolds delivers his perfect delivery throughout the entire movie rally helps things flow along smoother. Sandra Bullock (Miss Congeniality, Two Weeks Notice) was great as the tyrannical Margaret Tate. She has some shining moments in the movie where she is really funny but not as much as I thought there would be. She still did a great job and if they had cast anybody else in this role I don't think it would have been nearly as good. The supporting cast was great and at times very funny. Craig T. Nelson (TV's Coach) played Andrew's dad, and the two don't exactly get along. Mary Steenburgen (Back to the Future Part III, Step Brothers) does a great job as Andrew's mom, as she has been doing rather frequently lately. Betty White played the stereotypical inappropriate grandma, as she does so well. It also included Malin Akerman (Watchmen, 27 Dresses) as Andrew's ex, a brief appearance by Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show) and a hilarious bit played by Oscar Nunez (TV's The Office), Ramone, who works everywhere in town.

The movie does also include, all in one scene, the obligatory shirtless Ryan Reynolds scene, which I could tell pleased all the women in the audience, and Sandra Bullock in the buff. This scene has been talked about a little bit as it is Sandra Bullock's first nude scene. She covers up so you can't really see anything but yet you can see everything. I would just like to say that she looks amazing for her age, you know what? Scratch that, she looks amazing for any age really.

The Proposal is a good date movie and a good girls night out movie. It was good and pretty funny at points but like I said, it is a very by the book romantic comedy. If you like to laugh go see this with you boyfriend or girlfriend.

Great quote: "So what do you prefer? Margaret or Satan's Mistress?"