Movie Review: The Proposal (2009)

With a little more care this could have been decent

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.

The Proposal follows the set-up of 2006's The Devil Wears Prada from the coffee juggling opening to the arrival of the tyrannical boss as her minions cower in hopes of not being noticed. Of course, the film deviates from there since Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep never faked an engagement only to end up in love, but who's to say that wouldn't have spiced up Prada even more?

Sandra Bullock plays the iron-fisted boss Margaret in this scenario and Andrew, her dedicated assistant, is played by Ryan Reynolds who's clean-cut appearance knocks so many years off he hardly looks 32-years-old. Of course, Bullock looks well beneath her 44 years as we get a look at almost every inch of her naked body in this one.

As the story plays out we learn Margaret is a Canadian and, in going against even the earliest character traits we observe, she has failed to renew her visa and is set to be deported. There is no immediate legal way around it so she blackmails Andrew into a fake engagement and with the two set to be married they fly off to Alaska to meet the family, share the news and partake in Andrew's grandmother's (Betty White) 90th birthday party. From there The Proposal follows the path of typical rom-com clichés, playing out over the course of 48 hours, which just isn't enough time.

This film is dedicated to convincing the audience Andrew and Margaret could actually fall in love, but Margaret proves early on she is almost unlovable, at least in such a short timeframe. Andrew orders two cups of the same coffee in the morning just in case he spills one so as to not upset Margaret. She threatens his career if he doesn't follow through with her evil plot and in one phone call home we learn Andrew's family tells him to quit every single time they talk. She's a witch and while I am willing to believe the gooey center of this hardened shell is actually a decent person, it was impossible to believe it was enough to convince Andrew to marry her as a result.

I can typically look beyond romantic comedy stereotypes, but when the story forces you to look at them due to a lack of entertainment all the jagged edges begin to dig in deeper. Betty White has been cast in this film as the funny old lady that does weird things, and while they are weird they certainly aren't funny. Actually, outside of a couple of quick quips from Reynolds there's hardly a laugh in this lazily directed film as Anne Fletcher adds another film to her pile on top of Step Up and 27 Dresses, the latter of which I have not seen.

The Proposal is likely to be the weekend female getaway film, but this one misses so much I'm not entirely convinced that forgiving audience will be willing to give this one a pass. Both Bullock and Reynolds prove they have talent; Bullock continually showing chops that say she is a lead actress but still can't land the right role, and Reynolds is his same charming self, although this is a step way, way down from last year's stand out Definitely, Maybe.

This film simply misses its mark. It happens, and with a conceit like this I'm not really surprised. Had they decided to stretch it out over the course of three weeks I really think they would have had something to build on. Instead we are left with scenes looking for cheap laughs as opposed to focusing on the relationship, which is all anyone going to these films really cares about.