The Proposal

A tyrannical executive (Sandra Bullock) blackmails her assistant (Ryan Reynolds) into agreeing to marry her so she can avoid being deported. Bullock and Reynolds are appealing stars, and they share a nicely played scene or two, but they are constantly undercut by the predictable contrivances of Pete Chiarelli’s script—and by the casual assumption that we want these mis-mates to end up together just because they’re played by Bullock and Reynolds. As Reynolds’ parents and grandmother, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson and Betty White provide seasoned professional support; with all this talent before the camera, it’s disappointing how the script lets them down. Anne Fletcher directs with a forced heartiness that can’t keep us from finding some better matches in the cast for Reynolds’ hapless character.