“The Proposal” is not a new movie, but it is a classic in my book.
“The Proposal” is a PG-13 romantic comedy. It was released on June 19th, 2009. It is an hour and forty-eight minutes long. The film can be watched on Disney+ and Hulu. It can also be viewed on YouTube, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Google Play Movies for $3.99. The movie can be seen on Apple Prime Video for $3.79 as well. According to The Numbers, it made $314.7 million globally.
The plot of the film revolves around a New York City Book Editor, Margaret Tate, who forces her assistant, Andrew Paxton, to marry her when she finds out her visa renewal was declined. The only way for her to not have to move back to Canada is through marriage. Andrew uses this forced marriage to his benefit by blackmailing Margaret into making him editor and publishing the book he likes.
Margaret Tate is not well-regarded by her employees. Early in the film, Andrew sends a message to everyone that says, “The witch is on her broom,” so that they know to be on their best behavior when she comes out into the main office area.
Andrew also orders the same coffee as Margaret just in case he spills it, which he does.
Margaret and Andrew loathe each other until they must go to Andrew’s Grandma Annie’s 90th birthday party in Sitka, Alaska where Andrew’s childhood home is. Several funny moments happen during this trip. One of my favorite scenes is when Margaret dances around a fire with Grandma Annie chanting the song, “Get Low” by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. I always think of that scene when I hear the song on the radio. Another one of my favorite moments is when Ramone, a friend of Andrew’s family, is the stripper for Margaret’s bachelorette party. It is a very comical scene as he is not what you would typically think of when you picture a stripper, and Margaret looks like she wants to run during the scene. Ramone is one of the best characters in the movie because he shows up everywhere at random times. Grandma Annie’s out of pocket comments always make me laugh out loud as well. At one point she calls Margaret “The Devil’s Mistress” because she shows up in Alaska wearing black high heels, a black skirt, and a black dress shirt. There is also the lovely moment where an eagle tries to take the Paxton family’s white fluffy dog.
Despite all the comedic scenes, “The Proposal” has a lot of heart as well. Margaret gets emotional after getting attached to Andrew’s family since she lost her parents when she was only sixteen years old. She forgot what it was like to have those who cared about her and asked her to come see them for the holidays. Andrew also has his own emotional struggles about lying to his family about the engagement, and he argues with his father about not wanting to take over the family businesses. The Paxton family name is on most of the buildings in downtown Sitka in the film.
Of course, the real heart and soul of the film is the relationship that Margaret and Andrew build. In true romcom fashion, “The Proposal” has a happy ending. It is one of my favorite movies because it always leaves me in a better mood. It is a “feel good” movie in my opinion, and I will forever laugh at it when watching the film.
Andrew Paxton is played by actor Ryan Reynolds who is well known for his comedic roles such as Deadpool, and several others. I do not think I have ever watched Ryan Reynolds act in a movie without at least cracking one joke, and “The Proposal” is no exception.
Margaret Tate is played by actress Sandra Bullock who is well known, and she has been in other comedy movies like “The Heat,” “Miss Congeniality,” and “The Lost City.” Another favorite movie of mine is “The Blind Side” which she stars in as well.
Grandma Annie is played by the late actress Betty White. Betty White’s comedic delivery in “The Proposal” is not something I will forget anytime soon. She was also well known from the sitcom, “The Golden Girls,” and many other movies.
Ramone is played by actor Oscar Nuñez who is best known for his role as Oscar Martinez in the sitcom, “The Office.”
Andrew’s mother, Grace Paxton, is played by actress Mary Steenburgen who has been in many movies. I recognize her the most from the movie, “Elf” and “Step Brothers.”
Andrew’s father, Joe Paxton, is played by actor Craig T. Nelson. In addition to his several films, he also is the voice of the popular Pixar character, Mr. Incredible.
“The Proposal” has a 45% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Rotten Tomatoes audience rating is 68%. The film has a 6.8/10 IMDb rating
I find the ratings very shocking, and I have to say I do not always agree with them. “The Proposal” has a star-studded cast, great humor, a well-thought-out plot, beautiful scenery, and a good message by the end of the film.
I believe “The Proposal” can be enjoyed by all, and that it is not set for a certain group of people to watch. I still wonder where Margaret’s phone ended up because that eagle was on a mission.