Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) is the young executive assistant to chief editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock). Tate is a hardworking, pushy woman that is the target of much of her office's hatred. When she finds out that her visa has expired and she is about to be deported back to Canada, she forces Paxton to marry her. Knowing that she needs him, Paxton agrees...as long as she gives him a promotion and promises to publish his manuscript. The pair take a trip to Paxton's hometown in Alaska to break the news to his family during his grandmother's (Betty White) birthday party. Tate, who had been orphaned at 16, finds the heart that she had deeply hidden from everyone.
Yes, it is pretty much your standard romantic comedy. However, I firmly believe that this genre is where Sandra Bullock excels. And besides, the term "romantic comedy" doesn't automatically mean the movie will suck. Both my husband and I enjoyed the movie a lot. I thought that the on-screen chemistry between Reynolds and Bullock was amazing. Not only were they able to fight well, but they were also able to show that sexual tension that can exist between a man and a woman that argue constantly. Meanwhile, Betty White was fabulous as Paxton's grandmother. There needs to be more roles written for this brilliant woman. On the down side, I wasn't particularly fond of Mary Steenburgen as Paxton's mother or of Craig T. Nelson as his father. Despite knowing what these two actors are capable of, both of their performances came off wooden and bland. They are seriously just there to round out the "perfect family." Luckily, Nelson's character is barely there and Steenburgen's gets overshadowed by White so it's rather easy to ignore them altogether.
If you have about an hour and a half to kill, The Proposal isn't a terrible way to spend your time. Just don't expect to come away with a whole new look on life or anything. Enjoy it for what it is - a really good romantic comedy.