Do you prefer Margaret or "Satan's Mistress"?

Rating: 7/10 (3 July 2012)

The Proposal is directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Pete Chiarelli. It stars Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson and Betty White. Music is scored by Aaron Zigman and cinematography by Oliver Stapleton.
Bitch book company boss Margaret Tate (Bullock) bullies her assistant Andrew (Reynolds) into marrying her in order to maintain her visa status and avoid being deported from the US. With the authorities watching closely, the pair take off to Paxton's parents in Alaska to get to know each other and plot the sham wedding.
The rom-com, a very hard genre to get a film right in, and only really accessible to certain parts of the movie watching world. The Proposal is one of the better ones in recent times, primarily because the lead actors are so likable, they manage the impressive feat of lifting the standard scripting to heights it doesn't deserve. 12 years difference between Reynolds and Bullock (who still looks terrific), but it doesn't show, while the supporting players, operating out of a cranky family/small town dynamic, also offer up considerable moments of quality. Very appealing scenic cinematography by Stapleton too.
There's no surprises here, but there are good laughs and interesting scenarios, and if you are in the mood for a romantic pick me up, or having a date movie night, then this is a safe recommendation. The grumpy and loveless, suffice to say, need not apply. 7/10