The Proposal: Movie Review

The Proposal: Movie Review

Rating: 4/10
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Craig T Nelson, Betty White, Mary Steenburgen
Director: Anne Fletcher
The problem with doing an unoriginal story is how you do it anew.
The Proposal sees Sandra Bullock's uptight, bossy editor in chief Margaret Tate (hated and feared by many in her office) facing an expired visa crisis.
Being a Canadian, she's looking at losing her job and deportation from the USA unless she can find some way to stay in the country.
Enter her much put upon executive assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) who has spent the last three years working for her, in the hope he'll become editor.
Suddenly Andrew's facing a shotgun wedding if he wants that promotion - and Margaret's facing a weekend away with the in laws in Alaska on an impromptu (but necessary to beat immigration) fact finding mission.
And you'll never guess what happens next...
Except, to be honest, you probably will.
The Proposal is not a stunning - original - piece of cinema - but it never sets out to be. It's a romantic comedy which has some funny moments but that's about it as it's predictable throughout.
That said though, Bullock's Tate and Reynolds' Paxton have a good chemistry on screen as their characters share an uneasy pact - however, the revelations about them are easy to spot and the Paxton family tensions are completely unoriginal.
Bullock underplays the comic elements and situations to her credit- but Reynolds is reduced to simply staring in disbelief at what's unfolding around him (no doubt a view some of the audience could ascribe to)
Sitcom stalwarts Betty White (Golden Girls) and Oscar Nunez (The Office) make the most of their parts and actually light up the screen with their antics - Nunez's appearance in the post film credits is a highlight (and worth staying around for)

When push comes to shove, depending on your mood, you'll either love or hate The Proposal - but you will leave with a distinct feeling of déjà vu.