Review: The Proposal – Reynolds Makes a Chick Flick Semi-Funny

DISCLAIMER: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE TO READ ANY MORE PAST THIS POINT.

Andrew Paxton (Reynolds) has hopes and dreams of becoming a big shot editor and sacrifices a lot to accomplish his goals. His biggest obstacle is dealing with his boss, Margaret Tate (Bullock), on a day-t0-day basis. She’s known around the office as a she-devil.  As things play out we find out that Margaret’s temporary visa has expired and she will be de-ported if she doesn’t get her self cleared by the INS. She then con’s Paxton into a fake engagement.  However, in order to be legally cleared by the INS, Margaret and Andrew have to learn everything about each other so they can “pass” the interviewed. But if their answers don’t match up, they’ll see the consequences. Andrew, being her assistant, already knows everything about her whereas Margaret is left clueless about Andrew.

Over the weekend in Alaska, at a Paxton family party, we meet the rest of Andrews family. The typical “you were never good enough” dad (Craig T. Nelson), the nice mother (Mary Steenburgen), the funny, lively Grandma Paxton (Betty White) and Andrews high school sweet-heart (Malin Akerman). In a storyline of typically predictable events, but still funny as they play out, Andrew and Margaret tell the entire family that they are engaged, taking everyone by surprise. Over the weekend, things between Andrew and Margaret actually do begin to develop and Margret is the first to realize she may love him when she sees Andrew with Gertrude. Oscar Nunez ( Oscar from NBC’s “The Office”) makes a few hilarious appearances throughout the movie, adding to the humor of this overall predictable movie.

Eventually the engagement is found out to be fake, and Margaret leaves a note to Andrew where she basically confesses her love for him. Andrew also confesses his love for her after his ex, Gertrude, makes him realize he’s in love with her. Andrew and his dad (Nelson) begin fighting and Grandma Paxton has a heart attack. They rush her to a plane to take her to the hospital. On the ride there, Andrew and his dad make up after twenty plus years of fighting  in literally five seconds – a pinkie promise at 10,000 feet. Grandma Paxton then reveals she faked the heart attack – classic Betty White.

Margaret is sent back to New York to gather her things and catch the quickest flight to Toronto. At  the office she worked while she is carrying boxes out of her room, Andrew shows up and you can only guess what happens.

Overall: The Proposal is without a doubt a chick flick. Ryan Reynolds is one of the only great aspects of this film, being an avid fan of his work and hoping he was portraying his character “Will Haynes” from the 2008 romantic comedy, Definitely, Maybe. I didn’t get that so much as I expected. Sandra Bullock in this movie was at most moderate, she gave a few laughs but was mostly there just to make sure the story went together. Still, she’s amazingly attractive, which sadly, added her to the ‘good’ side of the movie. Malin Ackerman is still attractive as she ever was, and was another good part to the movie.

I give The Proposal a score of: 7/10