The Proposal

2009  PG-13  COMEDY  1h 48min

CAST— Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, Betty White

MUSIC— Aaron Zigman  DIRECTOR— Anne Fletcher

     Chick flick alert! Just seeing Sandra Bullock’s name in the credits tells it all. This time out she plays a hotshot book editor thriving on the sights and sounds of NYC. Always in tow is her begrudging assistant (played by Ryan Reynolds), making the calls and running the halls. Bullock, a Canadian, is dismayed to find that she is to be deported immediately; hence her job, lifestyle, indeed everything she has molded herself into will be lost. Ever quick on her feet she arranges to marry her assistant; but first they must tell his loving family. Time to meet the folks, folks! The better part of the story takes place on Reynolds’ Alaskan home turf, surrounded by scene stealing supporting cast members, most prominently Betty White, still golden after all these years. The film tends to be derivative of romcoms both distant and recent; Bullock’s own While You Were Sleeping (1995) comes to mind as does the Renee Zellweger comedy New in Town (2009). Cast all your notions of romantic comedies aside and this may be a potential date movie.

OUR RATING— ** ½