The Proposal (I) (2009)

A pushy boss forces her young assistant to marry her in order to keep her Visa status in the U.S. and avoid deportation to Canada.

Director:

Anne Fletcher

Writer:

Pete Chiarelli

Stars:

Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sandra Bullock	...	Margaret Tate
Ryan Reynolds	...	Andrew Paxton
Mary Steenburgen	...	Grace Paxton
Craig T. Nelson	...	Joe Paxton
Betty White	...	Grandma Annie
Denis O'Hare	...	Mr. Gilbertson
Malin Akerman	...	Gertrude
Oscar Nuñez	...	Ramone
Aasif Mandvi	...	Bob Spaulding
Michael Nouri	...	Chairman Bergen
Michael Mosley	...	Chuck
Dale Place	...	Jim McKittrick
Alicia Hunt	...	Coffee Barista
Alexis Garcia	...	Immigration Clerk (as Alexis R. Garcia)
Kortney Adams	...	Colden Books Receptionist

Storyline

For three years, Andrew Paxton has slaved as the assistant to Margaret Tate, hard-driving editor at a New York publisher. When Margaret, a Canadian, faces deportation for an expired visa, she hatches a scheme to marry Andrew - he agrees if she'll promise a promotion. A skeptical INS agent vows to test the couple about each other the next Monday. Andrew had plans to fly home that weekend for his grandma's 90th, so Margaret goes with him - to Sitka, Alaska - where mom, dad, and grams await. Family dynamics take over: tensions between dad and Andrew, an ex-girlfriend, Andrew's dislike of Margaret, and her past color the next few days, with the INS ready to charge Andrew with fraud.

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Plot Keywords:

deportation | alaska | ex girlfriend | resentment toward boss | cross examination | 

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Taglines:

Here comes the bribe...

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

La propuesta

Filming Locations:

225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£3,249,640 (UK) (24 July 2009)

Gross:

$163,947,053 (USA) (30 October 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Mandeville Films, Kurtzman/Orci

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Betty White almost turned down her role in the film because filming would require her to spend ten weeks away from her golden retriever.

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Goofs

In the scene at Federal Plaza when the camera is on Andrew an Asian woman walks past him in the direction of Margaret. In the next scene the camera is on Margaret and we should see the Asian woman but she is not there.

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Quotes

Grandma Annie: I want you to have it.
Margaret Tate: I can't. Can't take this.
Grandma Annie: I don't want to hear it. Grandmothers love to give their stuff to their grandchildren. It makes us feel like we'll still be part of your lives even after we're gone. Take it.

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Green Lantern Special (2011)

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Soundtracks

"It Takes Two"
Written by James Brown and Rob Base (as Robert Ginyard)
Performed by Ryan Reynolds (uncredited) and Sandra Bullock (uncredited)

User Reviews

better than expected

We went into this movie more or less out of despair; the cinema offerings seemed uniformly lousy and we simply wanted to see a movie that looked like fun. This one looked stupid: I'd seen Betty White promoting the movie on Jimmy Fallon's show and the scene shown was idiotic, though it did have a couple of amusing lines. Well, we were all pleasantly surprised. The outcome of the plot might be predictable, but the road getting there is surprisingly sharp and entertaining. There are quite a few witty lines and exchanges, and the delivery and timing of the two stars and, of course, of Betty White are just about perfect. Both of the lead characters have surprises in their backgrounds to reveal, and the settings are beautiful. There are one or two scenes that are clunkers, but even the dopey episode with White's Grandma Annie doing a ritualistic dance in the woods ends up having some relevance to a later plot event. The movie is well thought-out and well executed, and the actors create characters who engage us, even if we don't know anyone quite like them in our own lives.