Movie Review: The Proposal (2009)


Oil meet water. Water, this is oil. The two of you don’t mix well, I know, but amazingly enough, you have more chemistry between the two of you than do the leads of The Proposal. Sure, the premise of the film is initially setup that way, but even after their heart felt metamorphoses they look about as comfortable kissing and hugging as I do when I’m forced to kiss my 76-year old mother-in-law.

Which is rather surprising because this romantic comedy has two seasoned veterans playing opposite each other. Sandra Bullock is Margaret Tate a ruthless, man handling executive editor in chief at Colden Books. Ryan Reynolds is her administrative assistant, Andrew Paxton. He and everyone else in the office is ecstatic when Margaret is set to be deported back to Canada due to her work visa lapsing. Andrew’s elation, however, is short lived when Margaret insists he marry her so she can stay in the country.

For the ruse to work, they go to Alaska to Andrew’s family’s home so they can rehearse the answers sure to be asked by Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O’Hare), a State Department representative who believes their upcoming nuptials are a scam. Everyone else thinks there is something fishy going on too, but that doesn’t stop mom and dad (Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson) from insisting (mom more so) that they get married immediately on the premises.

Aside from the obvious lack of romantic magnetism between the leads, The Proposal also lacks any comedic punch; thus completely removing the movie from the romantic comedy genre (this may be a first for Hollywood) altogether. That’s not to say director Anne Fletcher doesn’t at least try to squeak out a few jokes from the cast — she does. Based on the mismatch she goes for the gold hyping up the uncomfortableness felt by the “lovers” and all in eye sight. The highlight of this is the scene in which a naked Margaret (even though she’s aged a bit, Bullock is still holding it together) stumbles into a naked Andrew. Fletcher then goes hog wild pushing the risqué talk and actions out of the grandmother (Betty White). If you can’t have kids asking the sex questions or stepping through a ridiculous pregnancy dance type of thingy, then by golly have an 80-year old woman do it!

Needless to say, somewhere along the way the polar opposites find common ground and fall in love. You wouldn’t know how or why from watching the movie though — unless of course you figure a two-minute speech near the end of the 108 minute running time can right all the wrongs and magically make everything in the universe all fluffylike. Don’t be a fool though, the two minute speech is just smoke and mirrors — all involved just decided the natural progression for these kinds of flicks had to be followed, and so presto!, by the end of the movie they’re madly and truly in love.

Bleh. This is just lazy writing by first time screenwriter Pete Chiarelli and even lazier directing by Fletcher (who was also responsible for the mess that was 27 Dresses as well). My proposal to you is to skip The Proposal and find anything — that’s right, find absolutely anything else to do instead.

Critical Movie Critic Rating:
1 Star Rating: Stay Away

1

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The Critical Movie Critics

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.


'Movie Review: The Proposal (2009)' have 13 comments

  1. The Critical Movie Critics

    July 25, 2009 @ 10:23 am Rafael

    The story of “The Proposal” is quite predictable. However, it’s still a good thing since people wanted to see a romantic-comedy story like this one.

  2. The Critical Movie Critics

    July 27, 2009 @ 9:17 am Phil

    Well, `The Proposal’ didn’t look like my kind of film, and this hasn’t made me want to see it any more!

    If the missus `proposes’ we watch this, I shall have to find an excuse to do “absolutely anything else” instead!

  3. The Critical Movie Critics

    September 12, 2009 @ 10:03 pm Stacey

    I think critics expect something so much from a romantic comedy. I was quite pleased with “The Proposal” – I simply wanted to be entertained for an evening – it caught my attention and kept it throughout the movie.

  4. The Critical Movie Critics

    September 29, 2009 @ 8:01 am Kaladhar

    This review is totally out of sync… I strongly have to disagree.. THE PROPOSAL is a superb movie… Definitely a family entertainer…

    I love the lead pair.. Sandra & Ryan… They rock!! Good comedy timing..

    I recommend tthis movie for those who wants a good laugh… I did :)

  5. The Critical Movie Critics

    September 29, 2009 @ 4:07 pm karinova

    Even knowing ahead of time that it is the lightest possible chickflick romcom will not prepare you for how bad this movie is. Really, they didn’t even try. It’s like the Lifetime Channel got a 13-year-old girl to write the screenplay adaptation of a Harlequin Romance. Secure your eyeballs, because they WILL be rolling during viewing.

    Worst part? The whole reason they have to study up on the relationship Q&A’s is Margaret is such a selfish and demanding boss that after 3 years, Andrew knows everything about her (how she takes her coffee, what she’s allergic to, that she has a tattoo, etc.) but she knows NOTHING about him. Because she’s never bothered to ask or cared to notice. Much is made of this.
    So they go to Alaska and on Day 1, in a single one-minute speech, we learn about 50 things about Margaret. In short: she’s really not as mean as she seems; she’s just a Lonely Little Girl on the inside. And apparently that’s all it takes; for some reason they’re in lurve from that moment on. But the thing is, she never. Learns. Anything. About HIM! Except that his family is rich (who knows how) and that he and his dad have a tense relationship (who knows why). The whole movie is focused on her her her. Poor Ryan Reynolds is just there as eye candy, I guess.
    Which was admittedly nice.

  6. The Critical Movie Critics

    November 24, 2009 @ 3:40 am Bingo Tipps

    This is the worst film,I have seen in my life. Worst writing and directing. But an absolutely steller cast.

  7. The Critical Movie Critics

    November 24, 2009 @ 6:29 pm HSA

    I actually thought that this movie was pretty funny. Although I am not a big bullock fan, she did pretty well.

  8. The Critical Movie Critics

    December 24, 2009 @ 2:08 pm sharma

    The biggest problem with The Proposal is its short timeline. We are expected to believe one man goes from loathing to loving in what amounts to about two days and two conversations. I realize this is a romantic comedy, but even rom-coms usually make a larger effort to earn the audience’s admiration than this one does.

  9. The Critical Movie Critics

    February 17, 2010 @ 6:16 am Sweeps

    Sandra Bullock is hot and looks amazing i like Sandra Bullock.. Overall the movie is very nice to watch.

  10. The Critical Movie Critics

    April 11, 2010 @ 8:36 pm Cure

    I still can’t believe they keep making the most predictable and overused plot they can think of. I’m sure the leads made it better than expected……..but it’s always sad when these types of movies do really good at the box office (which I have a feeling this will).

  11. The Critical Movie Critics

    July 14, 2010 @ 7:53 am Rana Bhavna

    The more recurrent noise towards the end was me groaning with disappointment, that a movie which had struck gold with its central matchmaking was succeeding so ruthlessly in taking the shine off.

  12. The Critical Movie Critics

    August 18, 2010 @ 1:49 pm Daniela

    >This is the worst film,I have seen in my life.
    +100

  13. The Critical Movie Critics

    July 5, 2011 @ 6:57 pm Paulina

    I like both Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock but I’m not sure if they made any spark or chemistry in this movie. The story is cute, although a little forced, but for the basic romantic comedy, it’s okay I guess. Sure, it’s predictable, but the flick works and is quite satisfying in the end.

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