The Proposal could have been a terrific screwball comedy, but the end results are well below average.
Comment
06/28/09
The Proposal (2009)
43
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:176
Fresh:76
Rotten:100
Average Rating:5.3/10
Consensus: Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds exhibit plenty of chemistry, but they're let down by The Proposal’s devotion to formula.
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Genre: Comedies
US Box Office: $163,900,057
Synopsis: THE PROPOSAL could have been a strictly script-by-numbers affair, but hilarious performances by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds improve this romantic comedy. Publishing powerhouse Margaret Tate... [More]
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman, Craig T. Nelson
Director: Anne Fletcher
Reviews for The Proposal
Top CriticAs one embarrassing scene follows another, The Proposal accumulates so many bad vibes that it becomes grimly compelling.
06/21/09
Top CriticIn the end, nothing can compensate for the fact that Bullock has been so diligent in ridding herself of any trace of niceness that she looks as if she's regretting the whole thing. Boredom doesn't suit her and a romcom without charm just doesn't rate.
06/19/09
Top Criticthis is sort of an object lesson in what's wrong with comedy today. The first 15, maybe 20 minutes of this film was really promising... And then it all falls apart because they bring in all these silly, farcical things.
06/17/09
Top CriticDirector Anne Fletcher knows where the comedy lies in an improbable but cute screenplay by Peter Chiarelli, it’s in her two stars and she lets them fly.
06/17/09
Top CriticThe Proposal works up such a fun vibe that you couldn’t care less about the contrived schematics of its story.
06/17/09
Top CriticThe stars aren't going to erase memories of Hepburn and Tracy, or Lombard and Powell, but Bullock and Reynolds — even when playing a naked bathroom scene together — make a good fit.
06/17/09
Top CriticSandra Shock: Bullock partners well with Ryan Reynolds, their romcom strengths sailing above any of the weaker options put forward by this decent Proposal.
06/16/09
Top CriticThe lure of Reynolds' and Bullock's nude scene together is sure to fill cinema seats (and raise a smile), but the other 106 minutes of The Proposal prove utterly forgettable.
06/16/09
Top CriticIt's contrived and predictable, formulaic and derivative, yet The Proposal has its own charm. Star charisma is part of it, but there's an interesting dynamic between the two leads. The set up is fun, too.
06/12/09
Top CriticIt's not awful, certainly not memorable and - despite the words of at least one quote whore - it's not "the year's best comedy."
11/02/09
a morass of clichés
10/31/09
Tailored to fit Sandra Bullock more snugly than the antique wedding gown altered for the star during the final act, the film begins to fall apart at the seams after its focus wanders from its promising screwball premise...
10/30/09
Bullock is totally at home in this territory, and she remains fun to watch, but I do wish she would get stronger, possibly more original comedic material.
10/20/09
Unfortunately, this winning team is stuck in a dumb vehicle.
10/16/09
The Proposal doesn't blaze any new ground, but it doesn't raze any old ground either. It's a solid, old-fashioned romantic comedy that's more interested in the romance than in being silly or raunchy. These days, that's refreshing enough.
10/10/09
It's obviously formula stuff, and follows that formula so earnestly that at points you'll wince more than swoon (why does every big proclamation of love in the final scenes need to be made in public?).
09/10/09
There is something to be said for such a relentlessly by-the-numbers chick flick programmer that is nonetheless a breezily enjoyable sit.
08/31/09
I was engaged by the fiery chemistry between Bullock and Reynolds.
08/03/09
The sight of Bullock doing a rap dance with granny in the woods is a traumatising experience.
07/28/09
Latest News for The Proposal
June 26, 2009:
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Time for the weekly update, folks. As always, thanks to everyone who has submitted reviews and helped contribute to the show. Every week, we continue to bring you a lively,... More...
June 22, 2009:
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This week, The Rotten Tomatoes Show will be looking at the movies that opened over the weekend, with help from you (the Rotten Tomatoes community), the Current TV community, and... More...
June 22, 2009:
Box office: Australia accepts Sandra's Proposal
Proof of the power of the cougar-com in this season of blockbuster action and low-brow man-movies, Sandra Bullock's The Proposal mirrored its US success and wooed Australian... More...
June 21, 2009:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Audiences Can't Refuse Bullock's Proposal.
Sandra Bullock showed North America who's boss with her return to romantic comedy in The Proposal which gave the actress the biggest opening of her career and her first number... More...
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