The Proposal

Putting Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in a movie together was a good idea. They have great chemistry, are quite charming and can get some good laughs, even with meager material. Hopefully, The Proposal won’t be the only time they share the screen—because the movie isn’t half as good as the stars occupying it. Bullock plays Margaret Tate, a big-time player at a book-publishing company, and boss to Andrew Paxton (Reynolds). Andrew endures all sorts of job humiliation in the hopes that he will one day become an editor. When it is discovered that Margaret, a Canadian, has an elapsed work visa, and deportation is imminent. Margaret comes up with a big lie: She and Andrew have been conducting a secret relationship, and they are engaged. The premise is silly and wears itself out after the film’s halfway mark.