Movie Review: The Proposal - PG13

cross-posted from A Catholic View

Andrew Paxton works for Margaret Tate, the proverbial "boss from Hell". Her employees are afraid of her, and a couple of the funniest moments in the movie are when employees use IM's to warn each other of her being near.
In order to avoid being deported to Canada, she coerces Andrew into a sham marriage. She gets more than she bargained for when they visit his family and he announces their engagement. It is clear how much Andrew's family cares for him. Margaret has a hard time dealing with this. It is sad when she explains that her parents are deceased, she has no siblings, and work is her entire life. She is actually unable to handle the emotion.

I was disappointed when Margaret tells Andrew that she hasn't slept with anyone in a year and a half. A couple of minutes later he asks incredulously "You really haven't slept with anyone in a year and a half"? The implication being that it's not possible to have a boyfriend or girlfriend without sleeping with them. Its an automatic part of any relationship; no "getting to know each other" or waiting to get married.

One character I didn't care for is an immigration agent, Mr. Gilbertson. It is a bit disturbing to see how much pleasure he takes in trying to prove their engagement is not sincere, and to deport Margaret.

It is a very entertaining movie and there are lots of comedic moments, and Betty White in particular is very funny as Andrew's grandmother. I won't spoil the ending, but it is a happy one.

Content Warnings: One brief scene where Margaret and Andrew are nude. This is shown in the preview; she is coming out out of the shower and encounters him unexpectedly, but all private parts are strategically concealed. There is also questionable scene with a male stripper at the bachelorette party.



http://www.myspace.com/proposalmovie