Boy hates girl. Girl doesn't notice boy exists. Boy and girl do not fall in love. Boy and girl get married. Or do they?

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is the cold-hearted editor of a reputable book publishing company in New York, the kind of woman who would fire an employee over a misplaced comma. Good thing she has no idea about the instant messages flying throughout the office daily, warnings like "The witch is on her broom!" And it's a really good thing that she doesn't know how many of them are coming from her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). Even though he's been her lackey for three years, Andrew is, at best, invisible and, at worse, inconsequential.

Until Margaret finds out she's being deported. A Canadian who encounters a visa snafu, Margaret impulsively decides upon the only logical thing: engagement to an American. Who better than her trusty doormat? I mean, the guy orders the same Starbucks drink as her--just in case she spills. For crying out loud!

Andrew, of course, is completely opposed to the idea, considering that Margaret is a first-class witch--and that lying to the government could land him in jail. But if he can just get promoted to editor...well, then the crappy marriage and ridiculous lies might just be worth it. And so, the couple embarks on a long weekend to Andrew's hometown in Alaska, where Margaret meets his spunky Gammy Annie (Betty White), an old girlfriend (Malin Ackerman), kind mother (Mary Steenburgen), and disapproving father (Craig T. Nelson).

As Margaret gets to know Andrew and is pulled into his tangled family history, she starts to realize that perhaps control and power aren't the only things she needs to rely upon. But she's not really in love. And neither is he. Or maybe they are. Does anyone really know? That's for you to find out...if you dare.

As far as romantic comedies go, The Proposal probably falls somewhere in the middle of the pile. It's kinda cute. It's kinda fun. I enjoyed a good percentage of it. But as far as Sandra Bullock movies go, it's nearing the bottom. I'm a little sad to write that, as Bullock is one of my favorite actresses--but while this movie had great potential, it came far short of my expectations. I mean, While You Were Sleeping was no epic piece of art (just check out Bill Pullman's hair!), but it was loaded with heart and humor. Then again, I've gotten more critical of love stories as I get older, so perhaps I'm jaded. :)

The Alaskan scenery is beautiful--and as a bonus, there is a pee-your-pants cute little puppy! Betty White makes a darling Gammy, though her give-thanks-to-the-Universe ritual (complete with cape and headdress) is a bit over-the-top. Overall, I like that the movie tells us to look beyond the surface with people. Someone who shoves people aside might really be hurting, and those who pretend they're just fine are probably far from it. We also see the impact of family in both good and bad ways. Andrew's strained relationship with his father teaches that parents need to support their children's dreams, even if they don't agree with them. And a sweet scene between Margaret and Gammy emphasizes the importance of family and relationships.

But it just fell apart in the chemistry department. Margaret never seems quite as heartless as she's made out to be--perhaps more socially disconnected than cruel. In fact, even though I started off with feelings of "Oh, you poor, overworked man," I actually found Andrew's character to be stiffer and more embittered than hers. Not that it's entirely unjustified--I mean, the man is being forced to marry someone he doesn't like.  He's supposed to be the charming underdog, but he fails to charm. Everything he says is laced with this weird undercurrent of superiority, and maybe that's supposed to be ironic. All I know is that when Margaret finally shared her heart, I thought, "I knew she wasn't all bad!" But Andrew's facade never seemed to crack, and just when you thought you caught a glimpse of love sparkles, they flittered away. There would be a tender moment, and I expected the relationship to finally progress, but it didn't quite get off the ground. It was like watching a kid fly a damaged paper airplane: "This is it! This is...oh." I just couldn't believe what I was supposed to be believing.

A few other things I didn't enjoy: A scene in the strip club, where the "exotic dancer" pulls Margaret on stage for a special dance. As she sits woodenly in a chair, the man gyrates in a Speedo--and the camera zooms in. And keeps focusing on the same place. Thanks, but no thanks. I came to see Sandra, not that. It's not funny. It's not even I'm-a-gross-12-year-old-boy-who-laughs-at-toilet-jokes funny. It's just cringe-worthy. And I don't think I'm being a prude here: several of my friends, whose opinions of this movie were all over the spectrum, pinpointed that one scene as awful.

In another scene, Margaret is taking a shower but forgets to grab a towel. At the same time, Andrew is listening to loud music on the porch. So, of course, she ends up wandering around, holding onto a strategically placed washcloth glove, and the two nearly naked people end up colliding with one another. There's a handful of profanities and several comments about the female anatomy, as well. I don't care if it makes a good story; I don't wanna see it. Besides, in this case, it's not even making the story better!

I don't know. I'll admit that the family stuff was sweet. And I can't help but like Bullock, even when I don't really like her character. Scenery was a bonus. Campy Betty White was, well, campy, but still adorable. Verdict is still out on the menacing immigration agent--I can't decide if he was funny in a weird way, or just weird in a weird way. The Proposal is certainly not the worst movie I've ever seen, but it's not something I'd deliberately choose to watch again. If someone brought it to a girls' night, yes, I'd watch it, but no renting or buying for this girl!

Recommended:
No