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Bookmark this pageThe Proposal (2009)
Director: Anne Fletcher
Synopsis
Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock head-up this romantic comedy, with the latter as a company boss with Visa issues and the former her impressionable lackey whom she intends to marry to get a green card.
Movie review
From Time Out London
They may as well have called this one ‘Mis-Matched Sham Wedding Comedy’ for all the effort it makes to shake new life out of a tattered genre. Sandra Bullock (below) is ball-busting New York publishing editor Margaret Tate, whose sadistic way with her colleagues shows up both her utter wretchedness as a human being and the inherent inequalities of American employment law. Ryan Reynolds plays her nice-guy assistant Andrew Paxton, happy to accept her exploitative manner in the hope that it may lead to his eventual promotion. Yet, Margaret is Canadian, and due to a foul-up at the immigration department, the threat of deportation looms if she is unable to prove to Homeland Security that she’s married to a Yank. Knowing that Andrew’s good for it, she coerces him to pose as her husband and in order to reinforce the deception, the pair head to the scenic Alaskan heartlands for Grammy Paxton’s ninetieth.Despite sporadically amusing performances from the two leads, this ticks all the same boxes as films like ‘Green Card’, ‘Meet the Parents’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’, including a perpetuation of the myth that inside every ruthless, independently minded businesswoman lies a fragile fawn just waiting to be drawn out by some buff, liberal drone. And what with this unfolding in Sarah Palin country, we’re also reminded that marriage is not something to be used to circumvent justice but a cherished gift from God. Also, the much-touted nude scene, in which Reynolds and Bullock readily engage in a game of full-frontal blind man’s buff, is about as sexy (and not to mention plausible) as Babs Windsor’s catapulting bikini top in ‘Carry on Camping’.
Author: David Jenkins
Time Out London issue 2031, July 23-29, 2009
User reviews of this film
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- orin said...
- Posted on Aug 25 2009 17:32 i am going to see this film tonight,and fell exsited,because f all the good reviews that i've read,think i will enjoy it
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- kelly said...
- Posted on Aug 20 2009 19:14 very funny sweet film and made my eyes well up
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- ella said...
- Posted on Aug 18 2009 11:32 This is such a excellent movie. Egnore everyone about the ending because you think you do but then you dont then you do and then you dont. You get what i mean. Its an excellent story and i love this film. It is one of the best films i have ever seen. I recommend this to anyone even with children. I love this film and me and my mate enjoyed so much. There is so much laughter and you will feel with joy. Please go and see this film i promise you that you will enjoy and even if your not keen on it the i promise and no that if you see this film you would still laugh and laugh. It is so funny. Best film ever
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- terri said...
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Posted on Aug 16 2009 08:25
if you see the beginning of his film then you can guesse the end......you dont have to think what is happenong .
2 stars - Report as inappropriate
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- teri said...
- Posted on Aug 16 2009 08:18 see the beginning of his film and you can guessethe e.nd
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- xXLottieXx said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2009 12:23 Ignore the critics and decide for yourself if you like this film, and I think you'll find that 90% of you will love it!! Overall it is your run-of -the-mill, predictable romcom, but it is genuinely funny throughout, and the comic timing of the leads is spot on, whilst the crazy family events are far-stretched but still hilarious! Brilliant film, and I can only wish my body was half as hot as Sandra Bullock's!!
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- Paige&+Jerry said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2009 12:18 Great MOViE!! iAgreee with everyone who has said they were in hysterics because me and my cousin went to see it for her birthday and out sides were splittin . a must-see movie with friends or family x great x i would be happy to go back again and see it for the second time x the people who rated it badly are seriously wrong in the head or have no sense of humour !!!
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- Rebecca said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2009 01:40 This is so good ,it was such a funny film and had me in hysterics.
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- jonny price said...
- Posted on Aug 12 2009 16:09 suicide would be far more preferable than watching this again! not even worth rating hence the no stars!
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- Jooli K said...
- Posted on Aug 11 2009 10:22 Love, love, love this film. We laughed out loud. A must see movie. What were the critics thinking???
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- Deborah said...
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Posted on Aug 10 2009 21:54
I took my children to see this film last week not really knowing what it was about....I truly enjoyed it. We laughed right through the film.
The critics need to be reminded that the film is only a 12A, what more would they expect from a family film.. Don't listen to them ....great film.x - Report as inappropriate
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- BernieBoy said...
- Posted on Aug 08 2009 19:20 Once again I wonder if TO actually saw this movie - the critic's description of the plot is wrong - take a note book TO - she's not married to a Yank that's the whole point Doh. Good movie though.
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- Pete said...
- Posted on Aug 08 2009 19:15 The hard assed exec played by Sandra Bullock doesn't want to lose US residence and her nicely groomed PA wants promotion. She says marry me and he says yes - only the immigartion department need convincing it's not just a marriage to suit her situation so they decide to hop up to Alaska and meet his folks. They're wealthy and wacky - it's great fun with great shots of a charming looking Alaska. Sandra does get to show off without clothes but it's a body double shot for sure. Well worth seeing.
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- GS said...
- Posted on Aug 05 2009 12:01 A thoroughly enjoyable feel good movie!
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- Matt said...
- Posted on Jul 31 2009 00:43 Silly, soppy, very often unconvincing and occasionally truly cringeworthy in a bad way (the Native American dancing scene for instance), but still cute enough to be worth seeing for a bit of mild, silly fun. Quite funny in places, but not hilarious by any means.
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Cast & crew
Director: Anne Fletcher
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman, Oscar Rosander, Aasif Mandvi full cast
Genre(s): Romance
Rated: 12A
Duration: 108 mins
UK Release: Jul 22 2009
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