The Proposal Movie Review: An Entertainingly Derivative Proposal

The Proposal is better than expected. It is derivative, contrived, and predictable, but nonetheless a crowd-pleasing romantic comedy. What it just lacks is the creative spark behind what the classic rom coms offer. But at the least, it's a pleasant time killer offering mindless entertainment and appealing stars.

The low expectations and good vibes of this "here comes the bribe" story are all in its favor. It makes a thoroughly charming engagement. It is a perfect example of a predictable, formulaic script elevated by fine acting and palpable chemistry.

There is a particular effort made to shake new life out of such a tattered genre and its formulaic requirements. For this, it renders itself as a good old-fashioned romantic flick and a spunky comedy about an odd couple and their adventures in love.

This chick flick primarily works with the fine chemistry (both romantic and comedic) shared between Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. They ultimately carry the movie over its mediocre, formulaic writing, and completely predictable plotting. They turn something borrowed into something fun. Ignoring the fact that it is one big cliché of a movie, its confection smacking the over-familiar is surprisingly sharp and entertaining. The outcome of the plot may be predictable, but the road getting there is quite charming.

The paper-thin plot is covered up by the beautiful setting and fairytale-ish atmosphere. It has good moments and likable leads that make it a lot better than it ought to be. The screenplay not only heads to the predicted finish line, it also tries to hit the anticipated plotpoints along the way as fun stops. The cookie-cutter characters inhabit a true blue formula filmmaking call; but its feel-good factor generally becomes a delightful offer to light-hearted viewers.

Choreographer-turned-director Anne Fletcher practically establishes this movie as a buoyant vehicle for Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. As the uptight professional Margaret Tate and the passive but determined Andrew Paxton, they make their characters appealing enough to make viewers care what's going to happen next. Bullock's ability to handle smart lines and slapstick acts and Reynold's hunky chops for comedy engage the viewers, even if the people don't know anyone quite like them in their own lives. The Proposal might not be something groundbreaking, but it's like a person on a very strict diet eating a whole cookie and liking it amidst the too much calories.

Just like most of the supporting characters, Betty White as Grandma Annie slips in and steals the movie. There are some scenes that are clunkers, but comic moments are seen every now and then. When White and Bullock are on screen together, they click in a way that makes this venture shine more. Overall, the delivery and timing of most of the stars make it all feel much less derivative than it really is.

The Proposal is a straight-ahead romantic comedy that relies on the considerable charms of its celebrity names. It's predictable at every turn. Though not much can be remembered about it after getting out of the theater, watching it feels comfortable and fine.