Product Description

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) terrorizes her publishing house co-workers with her abrasive, take-no-prisoners management style, especially her overworked assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). But when Margaret is threatened with deportation to her native Canada because of an immigration technicality, the quick-thinking exec announces that she and Andrew are engaged to be married. Ambitious Andrew agrees to go along with her scheme—if there’s a long-awaited promotion in it for him. Everything is going according to Margaret’s plan, until an overzealous immigration official makes it his business to prove that the couple’s engagement is bogus. To demonstrate her commitment to her new fiancé, Margaret agrees to celebrate the 90th birthday of his colorful grandmother (Betty White) — in Alaska. The editrix’s type-A ways put her at odds with her eccentric future in-laws with hilarious consequences, until the Paxtons teach Margaret a thing or two about family.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #402 in DVD
• Brand: Touchstone
• Released on: 2009-10-13
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English, French, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 108 minutes

Amazon.com
Rom-com favorite Sandra Bullock and the affably charming Ryan Reynolds’s superb chemistry turn The Proposal from otherwise standard romantic-comedy fare to one that is entertaining and sure to garner laughs. Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is a workaholic, tyrannical book editor (reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada) who suddenly finds her career in jeopardy as she faces deportation back to Canada. Her solution is to simply fake an engagement to her unsuspecting assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), who in turn blackmails her for a promotion. However, when Margaret is forced to head to Alaska with Andrew to visit his family in an effort to make their story believable to the deportation officers, they soon realize that their plan may not be so simple after all. The supporting cast of Dad (Craig T. Nelson), Mom (Mary Steenburgen), and kooky Grandma (Betty White, still a scene-stealer at 87) is great casting that makes for many amusing scenes. Bottom line: witty Reynolds and Bullock are perfect sparring partners for each other and not half bad to look at either. --Lisanne Chastain

Stills from The Proposal (Click for larger image)

Customer Reviews

Xtra Info: Special Features
For some reason Amazon is not listing in Product Details what is actually included in the 2 disc DVD other than a movie description. So for those like me who like to know what Xtras (+ Digital Copy) you're getting here it is:

Alternate Ending
Deleted Scenes
Audio Commentary
Featurette
"Set Antics": Outtakes And Other Absurdities
Subtitles: French, Spanish
Disc Two: Digital Copy of Feature Film

Fun Extras for Decent Time Waster
There are two deleted scenes with optional commentary by director Anne Fletcher and writer Peter Chiarelli. There is a nice scene with Andrew's parents (Nelson and Steenburgen). We also see Margaret and Andrew getting a little more comfortable with each other. They are nice enough scenes but not essential and one can see why they were cut.

There is an alternate ending with optional commentary. Fletcher and Chiarelli talk about why they didn't use this ending and another one that they didn't use as well. The humour in this scene is much broader than the rest of the film and seems out of place.

"Set Antics: Outtakes and Other Absurdities from The Proposal" is a montage of the cast goofing around on set. It looks like they had a lot of fun making this film.

Finally, there is an audio commentary by Fletcher and Chiarelli. They start off explaining the dichotomy between the two main characters. Fletcher says that Bullock loved the screenplay and gave Chiarelli all kinds of notes to make her character nastier. He talks about the mechanics of the story while she talks about the challenge of working on location. This is a fairly decent track by two people clearly proud of their film.

I DO (love this comedy)...
If you have just survived another tough week at the office and are looking for a weekend pick me up, "The Proposal" is your sure bet. Yes, I laughed outloud often, and so did most of the audience. The comment frequently heard as the credits rolled was: "Ooohhh, that was sooo goooood!".

The story: a tough lady-boss (Bullock) is being deported to Canada for willful non-compliance with the US immigration department. To save herself, she directs her doormat of an assistant (Reynolds) to marry her. He reluctantly agrees to play along, after she "helps" him understand the virtues of being employed. If you think you know where this story is going... well, you are right. The "happily ever after" cannot be avoided. 'Tis a comedy after all...What is fresh is how skillfully the writers and the director allow the story to veer away from the "happily ever after" course, keeping us on the edge of our seats until the satisfying end, which we have known all along was bound to arrive.

The chemistry between the two leads is another pleasant surprise. I am not a particular fan of either Bullock or Reynolds. Though each smoking hot and talented, neither has made many inspired project choices. However, the roles here suit the pair's natural acting styles reasonably well, which in turn further enhances the believability of their characters. The look of constipated doom on Reynold's face, as he's being informed he's engaged, is side-splitting! I do regret Bullock does not play "mean" better; the intended juxtaposition of her supposedly tough as nails character against her overly compliant secretary is lost at times. We are TOLD she is a witchy boss, and yet she comes accross nothing more then efficient (Sandra: call me! I'll give you some pointers. In return you can teach me how to find a secretary as hot as Reynolds ;0) ).

Another gem in this comedy is Ms Betty White (of "The Golden Girls" fame), an octogenarian in real life as well as playing one in "The Proposal". She has made an art of delivering "campy" with emotional intelligence. She does not dissapoint here either.

Final verdict? Will this film change the course of modern cinematography?

Not a fat chance!

Did it chase my blah's away until Monday morning?

AFFIRMATIVE!!! ...Till Wednesday... at least!