The Proposal: About as Romantic as We Will Get

Hey all! Look, we do still post older movie reviews for our movie club. It’s still here. Anyway, as we right around Valentine’s Day why not actually do a romantic film? Well…that didn’t happen.

THE PROPOSAL

DIRECTED BY: Anne Fletcher

STARRING: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Betty White, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson

GENRE: Romantic Comedy

YEAR: 2009

COUNTRY: United States

For three years, Andrew Paxton has slaved as the assistant to Margaret Tate, hard-driving editor at a New York publisher. When Margaret, a Canadian, faces deportation for an expired visa, she hatches a scheme to marry Andrew – he agrees if she’ll promise a promotion. A skeptical INS agent vows to test the couple about each other the next Monday. Andrew had plans to fly home that weekend for his grandma’s 90th, so Margaret goes with him – to Sitka, Alaska – where mom, dad, and grams await. Family dynamics take over: tensions between dad and Andrew, an ex-girlfriend, Andrew’s dislike of Margaret, and her past color the next few days, with the INS ready to charge Andrew with fraud.

Alright, now I know The Proposal isn’t something we normally have over here on Media in Review. However things change and plus this is by far my favorite modern romantic comedy. Sure it is absolutely terrible, but I still love it. By far the best part of The Proposal is the chemistry between Reynolds and Bullock. Their chemistry is what absolutely drives the film. Oh, I forgot about Betty White. Never mind, Betty White is by far the best part of the movie. Especially when she decides to “Get Low”. That scene kills me every single time.

Now moving on to the bad elements and since it’s a romantic comedy there will be plenty of it. Almost of the supporting characters, excluding Betty White of course, are incredibly forgettable. Unfortunately, The Proposal has a decent premise but absolutely no finish or pop.  It’s the material that stinks, failing to give even an old pro like White more than a couple of modest laughs, then flailing between family psychodrama—Reynolds’ dad wants him to give up this book nonsense and come run his father’s small-town empire—and uninspired physical comedy without creating any sparks from the friction.

PROS:

• Chemistry.
• Decent dialogue.
• Betty White.

CONS:

• All premise, no pop.
• Unwanted physical comedy.
• Family melodrama.

SCORE: 7 / 10

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