Who Plays Who?

Sandra Bullock Ryan Reynolds Mary Steenburgen Craig T Nelson Betty White Denis O'Hare Malin Akerman Oscar Nuñez Aasif Mandvi Michael Nouri Michael Mosley Dale Place Alicia Hunt Alexis R Garcia Kortney Adams Chris Whitney

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Margaret Andrew Grace Paxton Joe Paxton Grandma Annie Mr Gilbertson Gertrude Ramone Bob Spaulding Chairman Bergen Chuck Jim McKittrick Coffee Barista Immigration Clerk Colden Books Receptionist Medivac Pilot

What Do The Critics Say

"Casual charmer Reynolds was always going to get the best of the duels, and he again nails an audition for that Major Movie Lead which idiotically refuses to front up. More shocking, though, is faded star Bullock rekindling the multiplex magic she hasn’t waved for the past decade.Sandra Shock: Bullock partners well with Ryan Reynolds, their romcom strengths sailing above any of the weaker options put forward by this decent Proposal." Hilton Thomas EMPIRE MAGAZINE "The arrival of a rom-com like The Proposal could not be more timely. The encouraging news is that The Proposal is actually much better than the trailers and associated advance marketing are letting slip." Leigh Paatsch THE HERALD SUN "Director 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." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "As romantic comedies go, this is easily the year's best." Jeffrey Lyles GAZETTE "Bullock and Reynolds play against type well, and their spicy chemistry is contagious." Sean Means SALT LAKE TRIBUNE "It's got spunk and charm and two skillful stars in Bullock and Reynolds, who make it all feel much less generic than it is. Director Anne Fletcher, the former choreographer who last helmed 27 Dresses, keeps the pace brisk, swift and bouncy." Kevin Williamson JAM! MOVIES "Chemistry counts for a lot in this kind of movie, and Sandra Bullock's first rom-com in seven years: with her first nude scene ever: provides her with an ideal sparring partner in Ryan Reynolds.Knot so bad. Mad chemistry saves Sandy's movie marriage. Shamelessly derivative, contrived and predictable, The Proposal is nonetheless a crowd-pleasing romantic comedy: the paying audience at a screening I attended laughed their heads off." Lou Lumenick NEW YORK POST

"The appeal of a romantic comedy lies mostly in the chemistry between the starring lovebirds. In that regard, The Proposal has what it takes. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds prove a likable duo. Reynolds has the appropriate good looks, easygoing charm and comic timing to be a natural in this setting. The Proposal is made enjoyable by the sparks between Bullock and Reynolds." Claudia Puig USA TODAY "Restores Sandra Bullock to comic glory. It's her best role since While You Were Sleeping." John Wirt BATON ROUGE ADVOCATE "Sparkling performances from Bullock and Reynolds." Jette Kernion CINEMATICAL "I was engaged by the fiery chemistry between Reynolds and Bullock." Jolene Mendez ENTERTAINMENT SPECTRUM "Never underestimate the pleasure of a sparkly screwball comedy: and a fluffy puppy." Susan Granger SSG SYNDICATE "The chemical energy between Bullock and Reynolds is fresh and irresistible." Lisa Schwarzbaum ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY "The Proposal is just a good old-fashioned romance, one in which people actually bring out the best in one another rather than the worst. How novel is that?" Betsy Sharkey LOS ANGELES TIMES "There's a very silly and charming scene in "The Proposal" in which Sandra Bullock and Betty White collide in a blaze of comedic glory. Together they whoop it up like old pros. I could imagine the scene fitting right in to an old classic comedy variety series such as "The Carol Burnett Show". When White and Bullock are on screen together, they click in a way that makes this predictable film shine" Over the top, but "The Proposal" is OK." Donald Munro FRESNO BEE

The Inside Story There was one element above all others that attracted director (and choreographer omn the "Ice Princess") Anne Fletcher to "The proposal": the comedy. "I love comedy so much and it’s always been in my fiber," says Fletcher. "I was in improv and sketch comedy troops. Comedy makes me the happiest. After directing "Step Up", my goal was to do a comedy. But you can’t just jump into it. You have to prove yourself a little bit." Fletcher proved herself with 2008’s romantic comedy "27 Dresses" starring Katherine Heigl and James Marsden. "I got to exercise my comedy a bit. And then this came along, "The Proposal", and it had so much comedy in it. Sandra Bullock is a female comic genius. There really isn’t anybody on her l evel. I’ve been completely and utterly spoiled by her professionalism, her talent, her mind, her sense of humor, her sense of being. And Ryan Reynolds is one of a kind: Jack Lemmon and Chevy Chase combined." "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" producer Todd Lieberman was drawn to the film’s premise. "What I really responded to was the concept of an older woman, younger man relationship. The dynamic between the two characters is really funny,"he explained. "There’s a guy assistant who’s been dreaming of being in publishing his whole life. He moves to New York and starts working for this hideous boss." Margaret (a.k.a. the 'hideous boss'), intrigued Fletcher. "Margaret starts off being a hard-nosed business woman who only focuses on work and wants to get to the top, and that’s really the only goal that she has in life," she said. "When you really dig deep into this person, you realize that she’s got a lot of flaws. Margaret starts out really hard, but during the course of the film, she becomes herself again." First time feature film writer Peter Chiarelli sees Margaret as a very competent executive. "But as a woman she’s had to keep up this front of control all of the time, so that she’s never seen as weak," says Chiarelli. "It gets to her. She’s sacrificed a lot to be this successful. The closest relationship she has in her life is with her assistant." How did the stort come about? "I came up with the idea for the film from working in Hollywood with these very successful executives and their assistants. They shared a kind of intimate relationship: though the bosses knew absolutely nothing about their assistants. My priority was to always go for the comedy." So, says Chiarelli, he based the story around what would happen if one of those bosses had to actually get real. Margaret Tate is that boss. "Margaret was written the way they usually write the male roles, which are usually the juiciest," says mitliple award winning actress Sandra Bullock, who played Siddalee 'Sidda' Walker in "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood". "They’re allowed to be complex, unattractive, crabby, difficult, fun and funny, which is not how female characters are usually written." Co-star Ryan Reynolds ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine) agreed. "Typically, comedies are male driven. I love it when it’s the other way around. Here, Sandy’s character is the oppressor." But Reynolds ("Waiting"), who plays Andrew the assistant, says he enjoyed the idea of the oppressor being taken out of her comfort zone. "This woman, who is so Type A, is being taken to the wilds of Alaska with her assistant. She has spent three years with this guy but knows absolutely nothing about him, including where he’s from. It’s really fun when she comes to this small community and becomes as much a fish out of water as a human being can be." "Andrew is the one in control," says 2006 Black Reel Award winner Bullock. "It even surprises Margaret. She’s relied on him so heavily over the past years." When it came to casting the lead roles, the filmmakers tapped four time People's Choice Favorite Motion Picture Actress Award winner Sandra Bullock (1996, '97, '99 & 2006) early on for the role of Margaret. "She’s really fun to play, because she’s in all of us," says Bullock. "Margaret doesn’t try and rectify any of the wrongs. She doesn't apologize. She doesn't feel like she has to make the world like her. She has a job to do, and she’s gonna get it done. And there’s a large part of me in that." "I feel really lucky that we got her," says Lieberman ("Eight Below" & "The Shaggy Dog"). "She’s a phenomenal actress and she can do any role, but she’s so good and naturally gifted at comedy. People love her even when she’s playing someone who’s as hard edged as the character Margaret." David Hoberman, who executive produced the film, "Moonlight Mile" adds: "Sandy gets to play a really fun character: there’s a lot of physical comedy in this movie, so she gets to do everything her fans want to see. She’s really smart and had really good instincts about her character, the script and the comedy." Fletcher was equally impressed by Bullock. "She’s a movie star," says the director. "She comes to work, she knows why she’s there, she gets the job done. And her chemistry with Ryan is bar none." Canadian born Ryan Reynolds portrays the put-upon assistant who ultimately turns the tables on his boss. And with the majority of his scenes opposite Bullock, chemistry was imperative. "They have a rhythm, they have a friendship, they have a way of communicating with each other: a sort of banter, a give and take," says Hoberman of Bullock and Reynolds. "They found a groove in these two characters that really came to life." "Sandy and I’ve been friends for years. It’s great working with your friend," says 2003 Young Hollywood Award winner Reynolds. "My experience in a comedy is that you shoot the film and then halfway through you start to understand what your chemistry is with your costar and you wish you could go back and re-shoot all that you’ve already done. When you step on a set the first day and you already have that chemistry built in as Sandy and I did, you never experience that." Lieberman says both have "complete command of what it means to be funny. We have scenes with the camera on Ryan’s face. He doesn’t say a word, but he expresses one hundred different funny things. It’s unbelievable." Supporting Bullock and Reynolds is a stellar group of actors. "It’s a testament to the great script and our two strong leads that we were able to put together such a great group of people," says Lieberman. Nearly stealing the show is four time EMMY ® Award winner and former "Golden Girls" star Betty White as Andrew’s grandmother, 'Gammy' Annie. "She’s turning ninety and has spent most of her life in Sitka, Alaska," says Chiarelli of White’s character. "She’s a tough woman who recognizes the toughness in Margaret, and she likes what she sees. So even though on the surface she and Margaret share little, they actually have everything in common." "Audiences are so in love with Betty White," says Fletcher. "She is so comfortable on screen: a television icon. She just has a quality about her that you love as a person and on screen." The iconic actress's face is a familiar one to generations of TV viewers and cinemagoers. Hher career began with radio before moving into local television in Los Angeles at its very beginning on the West Coast in 1950. After hosting a local television show, she formed her own production company in partnership with producer Don Fedderson and writer George Tibbles, producing her first comedy series: "Life with Elizabeth". "Life with Elizabeth" resulted in her receiving an Emmy ® in 1952. She appeared frequently on major variety and game shows, and was a recurring regular with Jack Paar (over seventy appearances), Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson: even substituting as host on all three shows. In 1976 she was awarded the Pacific Pioneers in Broadcasting 'Golden Ike' award and the Genii Award from American Women in Radio and TV. White received her fourth Emmy ® for best daytime game show host for "Just Men". Nominated seven times for best actress in a comedy series for "The Golden Girls", she won the Emmy ® for the first season in 1985. Her Emmy for best guest actress in a comedy series on "The John Larroquette Show" brought her total Emmys to six. The American Comedy Awards gave her the Funniest Female Award in 1987 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990. In 1995 she was inducted into the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame. Her endeavors on the big screen include "Hard Rain" with Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater; "Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!" as Mrs Wilson opposite Don Rickles; "Lake Placid"; "The Story of Us" and, "Bringing Down the House" with Steve Martin. She is the author of five books, including "Betty White’s Pet Love", "Betty White in Person" and "Here We Go Again: My Life in Television". Two books were co-authored with Tom Sullivan: "The Leading Lady: Dinah’s Story" and "Together". "I’m so lucky to work all the time. It’s been sixty years that I’ve been working," says White, who at eighty seven shows no sign of slowing down. 2003 Tony Award ® winner Denis O’Hare (Best Actor for Richard Greenberg's "Take Me Out") plays Gilbertson, the immigration official who is determined to prove the impromptu engagement a charade. "We read lots and lots of Gilbertsons," Lieberman recalls. "Denis was the one guy who really got it. He gave a perfect blend of government officious and vulnerability so that you could laugh at the guy. The scenes in the INS building were great fun between him and Ryan and Sandy." Filmmakers cast veterans, 1992 Emmy ® Award winner Craig T Nelson ("Coach") and 1981 Oscar ® winner Mary Steenburgen ('Melvin and Howard") as Andrew’s parents. Fletcher turned to a familiar face when it came to casting Gertrude. She tapped Stockholm born, Canadian raised actress Malin Akerman, who starred as Tess in "27 Dresses", for the role of the young woman Andrew left behind when he went to New York. "Gertrude has come to realize that Andrew was the best thing that ever happened to her," says Akerman. "I’ve played a lot of crazy, wacky characters in the past, so it’s nice just to be a sweet, lovely kind of girl." Fletcher’s direction and Chiarelli’s script find a deft balance between the film’s sophisticated and physical comedy. "Everybody on this film plays the comedy straight," says 1987 and 2000 American Comedy Award winner White. "They don’t pounce, 'Hey, this is a funny line, did you get it?' They just say it like it’s real and that’s what makes it funny." Akerman notes the film is like "I Love Lucy". "The actors are not trying to be funny, but it is really funny, witty and sharp." The filmmakers say they were inspired by some of the ageless comedies of the past. "It’s a movie that just clips along, which is what those great '40s and '50s comedies with Cary Grant and Jack Lemmon did,"says producer Hoberman, who executive produced one hundred and six episodes of TV'S "Monk" between 2002 & 2009. "While dialogue-heavy, they moved really fast. One of the things we wanted to do was have Sandy and Ryan finish each other’s sentences. It’s a love-hate relationship that keeps you going along for the ride." Synopsis

High-powered Colden Books editor Margaret Tate has everyone in the office on the run. On the run from her that is. Even her personal assistand of three years, Andrew Paxton, is still afraid of her. Having just sacked Bob Spaulding for being a slacker, Margaret is on a high, until she's called into the owners office and told that she faces deportation to her native Canada. But, when Andrew enters the room, the quick-thinking executive declares that she’s is actually engaged to him and, that she will be meeting his family over the coming weekend. Andrew agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few extra conditions of his own. The unlikely couple heads to Alaska to meet his quirky family, where the always in control city girl finds herself in one fish out of water situation after another. With an immigration official on their tails, the two vow to stick to the plan despite the dire consequences.

The Verdict "It's a real treat to see 2000 Bambi Award winning actress Sandra Bullock back on the big screen in a comedy and to be able to state that she is in good form. An army of Bullock fans the world over will collectively breathe a sigh of relief after seeing "The Proposal" which is made all the better by the appearance of another of my favourite comedic actors, Ryan Reynolds, who one critic (bless his tired little noggin) very rudely noted had only one claim to fame and that was, he is married to actress Scarlett Johansson. Reynolds, who cut his comedy teeth on the riotously funny "Van Wilder: Party Liaison", "Waiting" and "Just Friends" is outstanding as editors assistant, Andrew Paxton. There's plenty of chemistry between the two stars as they bounce off each other, and yes, you will see a 'magic moment' moment when the two stars 'bump' into each other in a very revealing scene. What adds to the pleasure of watching "The Proposal" is the stellar supporting cast, featuring some very familiar faces, who nearly steal the show. Sure it gets a little silly in spots but overall "The Proposal" is good fun, good value and, refreshing. 4 STARS." The Production Team

Director Writter Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Casting Production Designer Art Direction Set Decoration Costume Designer

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Anne Fletcher Pete Chiarelli David Hoberman & Todd Lieberman Aaron Zigman Oliver Stapleton Priscilla Nedd-Friendly Amanda Mackey Johnson & Cathy Sandrich Nelson Coates Scott Meehan Denise Pizzini Catherine Marie Thomas

Run Time 107 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Touchstone Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.