The Proposal is an American romantic comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher. The screenplay was written by Pete Chiarelli and stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.The film was released on June 18, 2009 in Australia  and June 19 in North America by Touchstone Pictures.

Plot

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is the executive editor-in-chief of a book publishing company, Colden Books. All of her workers, including her assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds),who hates her, and she fires a senior editor, Bob Spaulding (Aasif Mandvi) because he is unable to get an author named Frank be interviewed by Oprah. After learning she is being deported to Canada, she forces Andrew to marry her, as his future is tied to hers. When the government investigates, Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O’Hare) informs them that they will undergo rigorous testing to prove that the marriage is not fraudulent. Andrew grudgingly accepts, under the condition that he is promoted to the position of editor and his manuscript be published. He also forces Margaret to propose nicely to him on her knees in the streets of New York, and to allow him to tell his parents they are getting married.

The two are forced to spend the weekend with his parents in Sitka, Alaska in order to sell the lie, where they will be attending the 90th birthday party of Andrew’s grandmother (Gammy) (Betty White). Margaret is very unreceptive of Alaska, and is furthermore shocked to learn that Andrew’s family owns most of the business in Sitka. They attend a surprise party for them, where Andrew catches up with his ex-girlfriend, Gertrude “Gert” (Malin Akerman). After he is humiliated by his father, Joe Paxton (Craig T. Nelson), Andrew announces that he and Margaret are getting married. They are forced to kiss, and do so passionately, showing the first signs of respect for one another. Andrew’s parents then show them their room, and Gammy gives them a special blanket (called baby-maker, which they avoid). Andrew and Margaret sleep separately – Andrew on the floor and Margaret in the bed.

The next morning, Margaret wakes to hear her phone ringing. After waking Andrew with her loud conversation, she goes outside; the family dog, Kevin, follows her and is swooped up by an eagle. She gets Kevin back, but the eagle instead takes her phone. Andrew, having seen the commotion, informs her that she, his mother Grace and Gammy are going shopping; the shopping actually proves to be a male strip show by Ramone. Margaret talks with Gert about Andrew, who tells her that they dated through college, and when Andrew asked her to elope with him, she didn’t want to go from her home, and said no. Margaret comes home and takes a shower, but finds no towels; when she goes to get one, she is stopped by Kevin. Meanwhile, Andrew confronts his father after he apologizes and asks him to take up the family business, telling him he’s happy in New York. He goes to the balcony of their room, stripping naked. Margaret, also naked, goes for a towel after distracting Kevin, only to run into Andrew. He sees her tattoo before going to take a shower. That night, Andrew and Margaret tell each other a little about their past, and find out they like the same band.

Next morning, Joe and Grace knock at the door with breakfast. Andrew and Margaret hurriedly get into bed, and the family suggest they could marry the same weekend, and they reluctantly accept. Andrew is stressed because the marriage is actually a sham, and Margaret tries to comfort him, finding herself genuinely caring for him. To sort out her emotions, she goes for a bike ride into the woods, where she finds Gammy “giving thanks”. Gammy invites her to join her, and they end up dancing to “Get Low”, while Andrew watches. Andrew takes her into Sitka, and she tries to contact New York. However, Gammy and Grace arrive and take Margaret to be fitted into a dress that Gammy’s great grandmother made, and a necklace that’s been in the Paxton family for generations. Deciding that she can’t do this to Andrew, she hijacks a boat and tries to explain, but she falls off after he takes the steering wheel. Andrew goes back for her, and they return to his house. Once there, they find that Joe has contacted Mr. Gilbertson, who asks them again to admit the sham. Andrew vehemently denies.

During the wedding ceremony, Margaret decides she cannot do this to Andrew and confesses the business arrangement in front of everyone- including Mr. Gilbertson, who tells her she has twenty four hours to get back to Canada, and thus goes back to New York to pack her things. Andrew rushes to their room only to find she has already left leaving Andrew’s manuscript with a note of praise from Margaret on the bed. Upon returning, another argument arises between Joe and Andrew. Gammy has a heart attack while trying to stop them and while being airlifted to the hospital has Joe and Andrew to quit arguing before she passes. When they agree, Gammy reveals she had faked it. Andrew attempts to stop Margaret’s flight, but cannot do so in time. Upon doing so, however, Andrew shows up at the office and confesses his love for Margaret in front of the entire office staff, proposing marriage all over again. They go to Mr. Gilbertson once more to get engaged “for real”.

Cast

Sandra Bullock as Margaret Tate, a socially inept Chief Editor at her book company from Toronto, Ontario. To avoid being deported to Canada for a year, she comes up with an idea on the spot of marrying her assistant, Andrew Paxton. They are forced to go to Sitka, Alaska with Andrew’s family, and once there, she begins spending time with Andrew and actually does fall in love with him. Having forgotten what it was like to have a family, Margaret realizes she cannot hurt Andrew, and so confesses the deal at the wedding ceremony. However, Andrew goes to New York just before she is deported and confesses his love for her; they then get engaged “for real”.

Ryan Reynolds as Andrew Paxton, the good-hearted assistant to Margaret from Sitka, Alaska who wishes to be promoted to editor and have his chosen manuscript published. He agrees to the fake marriage on the terms that those two conditions are met. It is later revealed his family is rich (seemingly owning the entire town), but Andrew himself is estranged from his father, who wishes he would take over the family business. Andrew begins to fall in love with Margaret after coming to know her in Alaska and genuinely wants to marry her; hence, when she confesses the sham, he proposes all over again, and they get engaged “for real”.

Malin Akerman as Gertrude (Gert), Andrew’s ex-girlfriend from college. She and Andrew dated through college, but when he asked her to elope with him in New York, Gert refused because of her life in Alaska, as she tells Margaret. She and Andrew clearly still have feelings for each other, but they never act upon them. Gert realizes that Andrew loves Margaret after she confesses to the sham, and convinces him to go after her.

Mary Steenburgen as Grace Paxton, Andrew’s mother, who accepts Margaret immediately, taking her on a girls’ night out, giving breakfast in bed, and making her feel welcome. She also does not like Andrew and Joe fighting, and commands her husband to set things right, which Andrew and Margaret both overhear part of. She and the others convince Andrew to go after Margaret when she confesses the sham.

Craig T. Nelson as Joe Paxton, Andrew’s father who owns the family business that dominates the entire town in Alaska. He wants his son to run the family business when he dies, but Andrew wants to be a book editor. Joe brings Mr. Gilbertson in after suspecting the marriage is a sham. He and his son reconcile after Gammy has a heart attack and he realizes that Andrew truly loves Margaret.

Betty White as Grandma Annie (Gammy), Andrew’s grandmother, who turns ninety while Andrew and Margaret are visiting Alaska. She takes an immediate liking to Margaret, convincing her to open up and be comfortable with Andrew’s family. Gammy disapproves of Joe and Andrew fighting, and forces them to reconcile after faking a heart attack after Margaret leaves the ceremony, she then convinces Andrew to go after Margaret.

Denis O’Hare as Mr. Gilbertson, the immigration agent investigating Margaret’s case. He believes the marriage is a fake and takes great pleasure in the revelation that it is. However, at the end when Margaret and Andrew actually do get engaged, he seems more supportive as he likely realizes that it is the real thing this time.

Oscar Nunez as Ramone, an omnipresent citizen of the Alaska town who holds many jobs. He is seen as a waiter, male stripper, a store clerk, and even as a minister. In the end it is suggested he is an illegal immigrant.

Aasif Mandvi as Bob Spaulding, a senior editor at the book company before Tate fired him early in the film for not getting an author known as Frank the Oprah spot. He insults her after she leaves his office. He would have gotten his job back if Tate was deported and told the INS that the marriage was a fake.

Niecy Nash as Flight Attendant

Music

The score to The Proposal was composed by Aaron Zigman, who recorded his score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Sony Scoring Stage