Likable Comedy With Alert Directing and Good Facial Acting

Rating: 8/10 (14 June 2009)

This is a funny, enjoyable movie with alert directing and good facial acting. The chemistry between the Bollack's Margaret and Reynold's Andrew is fun to watch as they worm their way through the predictable consequences of an immigration scam.
The story is that powerhouse publisher Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is in immigration trouble and blackmails her secretary Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) into marrying her so she can stay in the country. To make the lie believable she goes to Alaska to visit his family. As they get to know each other, the movie draws toward the inevitable happy ending.
There are several good scenes including the dress fitting, Ramone the exotic dancer, the eagle stealing the cell phone, and just about all the office cubical scenes.
ON REALISM: Margaret is a self-centered bully, and she treats people terribly -- early in the movie this is funny as a spoof of office life, like "Devil Wears Prada." In reality it is unlikely that Andrew would see anything in her. This plot is not-at-all realistic, and it is an excuse to set up the comic situations of the movie. The Proposal is good because of the dynamics between the characters within the context of the ridiculous circumstances. The movie is more believable than "Star Trek", "The Hangover", "Up!", "Terminator Salvation", and about as believable as "The Solist".
This is light comedy with no redeeming social value, but it is well-done, and most people would enjoy it.
MORE: They showed too many jokes during the preview.
EVEN MORE: The end is OK, but they should have been more creative.
YET MORE: Sondra Bollack looks great for 45 years old.