The Proposal
Rent & Buy
When she learns she's in danger of losing her visa status and being deported, overbearing book editor Margaret Tate forces her put-upon assistant, Andrew Paxton, to marry her.
What critics thought
DivisiveCritics were sharply divided on The Proposal, with most agreeing that Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds generate genuine screen chemistry, but disagreeing over whether that chemistry was enough to rescue a plot they found exhaustingly formulaic. Audiences responded far more warmly than reviewers, suggesting the film's crowd-pleasing mechanics worked better in a theater than under critical scrutiny.
“Anne Fletcher directs Peter Chiarelli's script like a manufacturer of hard plastic that is guaranteed to ward off intrusion from all recognizable human emotion.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“Their initial sparky detestation isn't convincing, and neither is their later thawing and romance. In each scene, it looks as if they have never met before. And Margaret isn't permitted to be a convincing cow, because that would make her unsympathetic [...]. Andrew can't be a total wimp, because that would be unsexy, so the fundamental comic premises of the film are fudged.”
Peter Bradshaw·The Guardian
“Bullock's deft physical comedy, one of her most endearing qualities, is given a full run. [...] Reynolds' ability to deliver a line, or a look, with withering, surgical precision is there at every turn.”
Betsey Sharkley·Los Angeles Times
“The two are so adept at comedy and have so much fun with one another, viewers watching The Proposal won't be able to resist their charms, even when some of the plot veers into unnecessarily silliness.”
Zorianna Kit·The Huffington Post
“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.”
Tim Robey·The Telegraph
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Cast & Crew
Anne FletcherDirector
Sandra BullockMargaret Tate
Ryan ReynoldsAndrew Paxton
Malin AkermanGertrude
Craig T. NelsonJoe Paxton
Mary SteenburgenGrace Paxton
Betty WhiteGrandma Annie
Denis O'HareMr. Gilbertson
Oscar NuñezRamone
Aasif MandviBob Spaulding
Michael NouriChairman Bergen
Gregg EdelmanLead Counsel Malloy
Michael MosleyChuck
Aaron ZigmanComposer
Oliver StapletonCinematographyThe Proposal
When she learns she's in danger of losing her visa status and being deported, overbearing book editor Margaret Tate forces her put-upon assistant, Andrew Paxton, to marry her.
What critics thought
DivisiveCritics were sharply divided on The Proposal, with most agreeing that Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds generate genuine screen chemistry, but disagreeing over whether that chemistry was enough to rescue a plot they found exhaustingly formulaic. Audiences responded far more warmly than reviewers, suggesting the film's crowd-pleasing mechanics worked better in a theater than under critical scrutiny.
“Anne Fletcher directs Peter Chiarelli's script like a manufacturer of hard plastic that is guaranteed to ward off intrusion from all recognizable human emotion.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“Their initial sparky detestation isn't convincing, and neither is their later thawing and romance. In each scene, it looks as if they have never met before. And Margaret isn't permitted to be a convincing cow, because that would make her unsympathetic [...]. Andrew can't be a total wimp, because that would be unsexy, so the fundamental comic premises of the film are fudged.”
Peter Bradshaw·The Guardian
“Bullock's deft physical comedy, one of her most endearing qualities, is given a full run. [...] Reynolds' ability to deliver a line, or a look, with withering, surgical precision is there at every turn.”
Betsey Sharkley·Los Angeles Times
“The two are so adept at comedy and have so much fun with one another, viewers watching The Proposal won't be able to resist their charms, even when some of the plot veers into unnecessarily silliness.”
Zorianna Kit·The Huffington Post
“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.”
Tim Robey·The Telegraph
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Cast & Crew
Anne FletcherDirectorSandra BullockMargaret TateRyan ReynoldsAndrew PaxtonMalin AkermanGertrudeCraig T. NelsonJoe PaxtonMary SteenburgenGrace PaxtonBetty WhiteGrandma AnnieDenis O'HareMr. GilbertsonOscar NuñezRamoneAasif MandviBob SpauldingMichael NouriChairman BergenGregg EdelmanLead Counsel MalloyMichael MosleyChuckAaron ZigmanComposerOliver StapletonCinematographyRent & Buy