The Proposal

Release Date (UK) - 22 July 2009

Certificate (UK) - 12A

Country - USA

Director - Anne Fletcher

Runtime - 107 mins

Starring - Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds

Career driven publisher Margaret (Sandra Bullock) bribes her assistant Matt (Ryan Reynolds) to marry him after immigration discover her Canadian visa is expired and try to deport her. Matt hates her and the comedy comes from the them trying to keep up a pretence of a relationship for immigration, before eventually they predictably fall in love. Whatever.

Matt takes her to meet his parents in Alaska and the majority of the film follows events and characters here. Characters like Matts eccentric Grandma (Betty White) make this feel like a Meet the Fockers remake far too much - a slightly wacky family living on a remote island... hmm I've seen this all before. Its a typical formulaic Rom-Com that is just about funny enough to entertain those its aimed it but its certainly not inventive or surprising. There are plenty of funny moments but even these are the usual cliches and stereotypes - most stemming from a highly questionable racial stereotype in the character of Ramone who seems to have countless jobs and almost becomes a slave figure. This also brings to the forefront other racial questions - In one odd scene that doesn't fit into the films plot granny and Margaret dance in the woods imitating native Indians - just what on earth is going on here as the film certainly isn't trying to raise racial issues. The fact that the immigration marriage plot needs to revolve around a white immigrant in order to save deportation again is worrying.

The film is covered in a layer of superficial gloss that is painful for anyone who has an interest in cinema, the repeated fake Alaska window shots are so badly lit it looks downright shoddy and Bullock is now so artificially young that when you consider the 20 year age gap between her and Reynolds the love story becomes even more ridiculous. Basically he falls in love after one brief conversation .. come on now!!

Only if you really really like rom coms should you even consider paying to see this.