Going Through With The Proposal

When high-powered book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she’s actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), who she’s tormented for years. He agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few conditions of his own. The unlikely couple heads to Alaska to meet his quirky family (Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White) and the always-in-control city girl finds herself in one comedic fish-out-of-water situation after another. With an impromptu wedding in the works and an immigration official on their tails, Margaret and Andrew reluctantly vow to stick to the plan despite the precarious consequences in The Proposal. 

Diverting romantic antic about a sham engagement is sparked by the bright chemistry and comic timing of Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. The Proposal won't catch any bouquets for originality, but in terms of a bended-knee pitch for the affections of women (and some men)-- including Ryan Reynolds' boyish charms, a hip granny and even a beyond-adorable puppy -- this romantic comedy pretty much pulls out all the stops. Director Anne Fletcher is working from a script by Peter Chiarelli, but the story draws from so many sources the whole exercise has the feel of a committee effort. Bullock plays Margaret Tate, a book editor so tyrannical -- holy "The Devil Wears Prada," Batman -- that the message "It's here!" is instantly dispatched when she enters the office, as her minions hop to appear as busy as possible. Anticipating Margaret's needs is the job of her assistant Andrew (Reynolds), but he's thrown for a loop when Margaret -- a Canadian suddenly facing deportation -- tells him they must get married, a maneuver that will not only keep her in the U.S. but save his job. Andrew blackmails her right back with the threat of backing out, and before you know it, they're flying off to his hometown in Alaska to break the news to his family -- and throw an officious immigration agent (Denis O'Hare) off the scent. So "Green Card" segues into "Northern Exposure," as the starched, high-heeled Manhattan-dweller Margaret is exposed to Andrew's colorful clan, including his aloof father (Nelson), loving mom (Steenburgen) and wacky, about-to-turn-90 grandma (Betty White, still more than capable of stealing every scene she's in). Inevitably, a thaw begins between the assistant and the boss he dubbed "Satan's mistress" -- one helped along by seeing each other in various stages of undress, which is sure to elicit whoops from the appropriate demographics. For Reynolds, that will only bolster his romantic-comedy credentials, as he and Bullock deftly capture the requisite awkwardness of having to deceive those around them. 

Although there's plenty of rustic scenery (with Massachusetts as a stand-in for Palin country), prolonging the buildup eventually leads to some tired and silly flourishes. Fletcher started out as a choreographer and even gives Bullock a chance to show off some amusing dance gyrations, but all that nifty footwork becomes a bit more frantic down the home stretch. By then, though, The Proposal has generated enough goodwill to get by -- and there's even a parting shot of White holding that fluffy, snow-colored puppy. In that respect, it's difficult not to admire a project that not only knows what's expected of it, but precisely what its assets are. Sandra Bullock is one of the most likable and skilled comedians in movies today, but she hasn't had a comedy hit since the first "Miss Congeniality" nine years ago. That's about to change with The Proposal, an engaging, well-crafted lark that proves "high concept" isn't necessarily a tired tactic. Bullock also is talented enough to play convincingly against her genial image here as the proverbial boss from hell. Starting the film as a borderline caricature of an unpleasant workaholic, Bullock convincingly peels back the layers of Margaret, revealing the pain behind her steely facade and the vulnerability that surfaces as she and Andrew get to know each other better amid the tense masquerade. By midpoint, we're actually rooting for this erstwhile office gargoyle. It helps immeasurably that Bullock has tremendous chemistry with Reynolds. The former TV actor and "Van Wilder" cutup has been getting a lot of work lately but hasn't quite broken through as a star. The Proposal should remedy that. He matches Bullock's comic timing note for note and conveys all of Andrew's frustration, exasperation and growing attraction to Margaret. The situations might be formulaic, but the teamwork of the two leads brings them to sparkling life. Full of the standard cliches (and it knows this), but Bullock and Reynolds' performances almost make you not even notice them. Highly recommened. This gets a 3 on my "Go See" scale.