The Proposal

The 2009 Romantic Comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is a bitchy, domineering executive editor-in-chief for a publishing company who runs her poor assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) ragged and generally treats all her employees like crap. However, she gets called in by her superiors and discovers that she is being deported back to Canada. To fix this, she tells them she is marrying Andrew and that they plan to fly up to Alaska for his grandmother's 90th birthday to tell the family. Andrew, of course, vehemently tries to back out of the plan but she insists that they will be married for a short while and then get a divorce. Seizing the opportunity, Andrew makes her promise to publish his book and promote him before agreeing to the charade.

The two fly up to Alaska and meet the family. Over the course of the trip, the two slowly get to know each other better and realize they are developing feelings for one another.

One of Sandra Bullock's highest-grossing films. Generally regarded as funny and easy to watch.

Tropes used in The Proposal include:
  • Accidental Pervert: Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock accidentally wind up naked and on top of each other. She was making a nude run for the wardrobe and he was... good at timing (who takes off their clothes to listen to music while standing up?). They're both not looking and walk into each other at a fast pace with the response "Oh my god, why are you naked?" "Why are you wet?!"
    • "I don't understand!"
  • Actor Allusion: Inverted rather oddly. The real-life Ryan Reynolds was born in Vancouver BC; conversely, Sandra Bullock has no claim to Canadian jus soli.
  • Artistic License: Law: The consequences for admitting that you intend to go through with a sham marriage to obtain US citizenship, as Margaret does near the end of the film, would not have the results depicted in the film. In actuality you would be arrested the minute you admitted it, and at best case you'd be driven to the nearest airport, put on the next plane back to your home country, and barred from ever entering the United States again for the rest of your life. Worst case, you'd be jailed for up to eight years, then deported.
  • Belligerent Sexual Tension: Andrew and Margaret have this between them pretty much through the entire trip to Alaska.
  • Between My Legs: This perspective is used when Margaret is trying to get the dog to go away.
  • California Doubling: Though set in Sitka, Alaska, the filming actually took place in Massachusetts.
  • Calling the Old Man Out: Andrew finally snaps and addresses his father's disapproval of him working at a publishing firm. Their differences are only resolved once his grandmother Gammy fakes a heart attack and makes them reconcile.
  • Can't Live with Them, Can't Live Without Them: Andrew and Margaret.
  • Chick Flick: Although luckily the film focuses more on humor than the general mushy stuff.
  • Citizenship Marriage: The entire plot of the film.
  • Cool Old Lady: Gammy. Then again, it's Betty White so that's a given.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: Margaret.
  • Did Not Do the Research: Saying "I do" after La Migra is already in hot pursuit? Likely too little, too late... except as a way to end up really alone, boasting to friends about that hot Girlfriend in Canada that you'll never see again – short of using the Citizenship Marriage to move yourself to Vancouver or Toronto after she's deported.
  • Dismissed Gender: Imagine this movie with a male boss and a female employee.
  • Double Standard: The aforementioned, and the fact that Margaret's Ice Queen behavior would probably be seen as perfectly fine if she were a man.
  • Mr. Fanservice: It's Ryan Reynolds.
  • Fan Service: Ryan Reynolds--naked. Sandra Bullock--naked. A good time is had by all.
  • Funny Foreigner: Ramone.
  • Hand or Object Underwear: When Margaret comes out of the shower and gets pestered by the dog. A wonderful subversion occurs when she literally runs into Andrew and they manage to censor each others' body parts with one another.
  • Hilarious Outtakes: On the DVD, plus a Crowning Moment of Funny special feature in which Betty White treats Ryan Reynolds like shit but no one will believe him when he tries to tell them about it. Has to be seen to be believed.
  • Hollywood Heart Attack: Subverted. It was faked.
  • The Illegal: Ramone might be one based on the answers he gives in his questioning during the end credits.
  • Intimate Healing: The realistic keep-warm kind.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Margaret ultimately reveals that the wedding is a sham and leaves to pack up her office and be deported. Andrew of course flies back to New York to stop her and tell her that he loves her.
  • Jerkass: Andrew's Dad for most of the film and the immigration agent for all of it.
  • Mama Bear: Andrew's mom verbally bitchslaps his father for upsetting him and demands that he fix it. Minor Crowning Moment of Awesome.
  • Mistress and Servant Boy: Andrew and Margaret at the start of the story, although he takes more initiative once he realizes the leverage he now has over her.
  • Naked People Are Funny
  • Percussive Therapy: Andrew carving out a canoe shows his mother that his father upset him.
  • Race For Your Love
  • Raging Stiffie: Andrew's morning wood.
  • Rom Com: Shows the usual classic form of boy and girl hate each other, get closer together, almost get together, break up, and then get back together permanently.
  • Shirtless Scene: Or in this case, shirtless and pantless scene for both Reynolds and Bullock.
  • Slap Slap Kiss: Andrew and Margaret.
  • Suggestive Collision: Margaret makes a nude run for the wardrobe from the shower. Andrew is also naked, getting ready to take a shower of his own. Neither is looking and they walk into each other at a fast pace. He ends up on top for her:

Margaret: Oh my God! Why are you naked?
Andrew: Why are you wet?

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