Line #41 Film/TheProposal


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_proposal.jpg]]
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3	The 2009 RomanticComedy starring Creator/SandraBullock and Creator/RyanReynolds.
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5	Margaret Tate (Bullock) is a domineering (and very bitchy) Canadian woman who works as an executive editor for a publishing company based in New York City, and treats pretty much everyone around her like crap, particularly her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Reynolds). Eventually, Margaret learns that she's in danger of being deported back to Canada due to violating the terms of her work visa.
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7	To fix this, Margaret lies by claiming that she's engaged to get married to Andrew and that the two of them are planning on flying out to Alaska for his grandmother's 90th-birthday to tell the rest of his family. Andrew, of course, vehemently tries backing out of the plan, but Margaret insists that they'll be married for a short while and then get a divorce--Andrew ultimately agrees to it after he makes her promise to publish his book ''and'' promote him.
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9	The two fly out to Alaska and Margaret meets Andrew's family--over the course of their time in Alaska, the two slowly get to know each better and ultimately end up falling in love (for real).
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11	!!Tropes included in this movie:
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13	* AccidentalPervert: Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock's characters [[ContrivedCoincidence accidentally]] wind up '''naked and on top of each other'''. This is due to a fresh-out-of-the-shower Margaret making a run for the wardrobe just as Andrew started heading for the shower himself. They're both not looking and awkwardly slam into each other front-first.
14	-->'''Margaret:''' Why are you ''naked''?!\
15	'''Andrew:''' Why are you ''wet''?!
16	* ArtisticLicenseLaw: The consequences for admitting that you intend to go through with a sham marriage to obtain US citizenship, [[spoiler: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.
17	* BecomingTheMask: Margaret and Andrew have near zero chemistry when trying to play up being in love in front of everyone, but through some shared experiences they end up coming closer without realizing how it looks. After jumping in bed together when family walk in, as they leave Andrew is agitated and Margaret instinctually comforts him by rubbing his shoulders. When Margaret falls out of the boat into Alaskan water Andrew gets her back in the boat, wraps a blanket around her and hugs her in an effort to warm her up faster.
18	* BelligerentSexualTension: Andrew and Margaret have this between them pretty much through the entire trip to Alaska.
19	* BetweenMyLegs: This perspective is used when Margaret is [[ItMakesSenseInContext trying to fight off the Paxton family dog with a hair dryer.]]
20	* BigFancyHouse: Due to Andrew being SecretlyWealthy, the Paxton family home in Sitka is one.
21	* BlackComedyAnimalCruelty: Margaret drops her cellphone while trying to protect a small dog from an eagle. When she succeeds and the eagle seizes the phone instead, she frantically holds the dog up in the air and begs the eagle to take it in exchange.
22	* ButtMonkey: Creator/RyanReynolds in [[http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/e8cdc3db45/sandra-bullock-ryan-reynolds-behind-the-scenes-of-the-proposal this trailer]].
23	* CallingTheOldManOut: Andrew finally snaps and addresses his father's disapproval of him working at a publishing firm. Their differences are only resolved [[spoiler: once his grandmother Gammy fakes a heart attack and makes them reconcile.]]
24	* CantLiveWithThemCantLiveWithoutThem: Andrew and Margaret don't get along particularly well at first, but are rather reliant on each other -- and then eventually find that they do actually like each other.
25	* ChickFlick: Although luckily the film focuses more on humor than the general mushy stuff.
26	* CitizenshipMarriage: The entire plot of the film.
27	* CoolOldLady: Andrew's grandmother, Gammy. Then again, it's Creator/BettyWhite so that's a given.
28	* DefrostingIceQueen: Margaret.
29	* FakeRelationship: The entire plot starts when Canadian businesswoman Margaret convinces her American assistant Andrew to marry her so she doesn't get deported. Naturally, they end up falling for each other for real.
30	* {{Fanservice}}: Ryan Reynolds--naked. Sandra Bullock--naked. A good time is had by all.
31	* FunnyBackgroundEvent: The immigration officer that Margaret and Andrew meet has a copy of ''U.S. Citizenship for Dummies'' on his desk.
32	* FunnyForeigner: Ramone.
33	* HandOrObjectUnderwear: 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 other's body parts with one another.
34	* HereditaryWeddingDress: Downplayed and justified. After convincing Andrew and Margaret to have their wedding last minute so that Andrew's family can witness it, Grandma Annie passes her wedding dress, made by hand by her own mother, on to her granddaughter-in-law Margaret. Margaret, who was orphaned young and has no other family, is touched at being treated like family in this way, especially since she originally only proposed to Andrew so she would not be deported to Canada.
35	* HighPoweredCareerWoman: Margaret is the domineering, IceQueen, [[MeanBoss CEO]] of a publishing company in New York, who is suddenly forced to prioritize [[CareerVersusMan romance over her career]] (albeit superficially) when she is confronted with deportation for not being an American citizen and decides to fake a marriage with her assistant Andrew to keep her resident status. As a RomCom, she naturally [[DefrostingIceQueen warms up]] to Andrew and knocks down some of the walls she's built.
36	* HilariousOuttakes: On the DVD, plus a special feature in which Betty White treats Ryan Reynolds like shit but no one believes him when he tries to tell them about it. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn1r1jb4--k Has to be seen to be believed.]]
37	* HollywoodHeartAttack: [[spoiler:Subverted. It was faked.]]
38	* TheIllegal: Ramone might be one based on the answers he gives in his questioning during the end credits.
39	* IntimateHealing: The realistic keep-warm kind.
40	* {{Irony}}: The film stars the American Creator/SandraBullock as a Canadian businesswoman who tries to get a CitizenshipMarriage with her assistant played by the Canadian Creator/RyanReynolds.
41	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Margaret ultimately [[spoiler: 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.]]
42	* {{Jerkass}}: Andrew's Dad for most of the film and the immigration agent for all of it.
43	* LoveTriangle: Margaret, Andrew and Gertrude, Andrew's ex-girlfriend.
44	* MamaBear: Andrew's mom verbally bitchslaps his father for upsetting him and demands that he fix it.
45	* MarriageBeforeRomance: Margaret makes Andrew marry her to avoid being deported to Canada. After pretending to friends, family and the INS, they're exposed...only to have him propose so that they can date.
46	* MistressAndServantBoy: Andrew and Margaret at the start of the story, although he takes more initiative once he realizes the leverage he now has over her.
47	* MrFanservice: It's ''Ryan Reynolds''.
48	* NakedPeopleAreFunny: Undoubtedly one of the most contrived examples of this ever. Margaret comes out of the shower only to find that there's no towel, but is then intimidated by the Paxton's family's small dog, which she earlier allowed to be [[ItMakesSenseInContext abducted by an eagle.]] She protects her modesty only with the aid of a [[HandOrObjectUnderwear small sponge]], while attempting to evade the dog. Meanwhile, Andrew comes back from working off his rage at his unsympathetic father by [[PercussiveTherapy chopping wood]] while listening to music on headphones; he doesn't realise she's been in the shower because he assumes she's still out with his mother and their friends. Margaret calls out to find if anyone's there, but [[HeadphonesEqualIsolation Andrew doesn't hear her over his ipod]], so he doesn't reply. He strips off his clothes in order to go into the shower, while she escapes from the dog while still wet and naked: they collide with each other: awkwardness ensues. Absurd as it is, it's still funny.
49	* PercussiveTherapy: Andrew carving out a canoe shows his mother that his father upset him.
50	* RaceForYourLove: Andrew tries to chase after Margaret when the immigration agent takes her away, [[SubvertedTrope but]] her plane takes off before he can get to her. He eventually catches up to her back at their office in New York.
51	* RagingStiffie: Andrew's morning wood.
52	-->'''Margaret:''' Oh my god ''what is that''?!\
53	'''Andrew:''' What?! It's...it's morning!
54	* RomCom: Shows the usual classic form of boy and girl hate each other, get closer together, almost get together, [[spoiler: break up, and then get back together permanently.]]
55	* SecretlyWealthy: After arriving in Alaska to see Andrew's family, Sandra discovers that Andrew comes from a fairly wealthy family--in fact, the Paxtons own many of the businesses in Sitka, Alaska.
56	* SexyMentor: [[PlayingWithATrope Andrew doesn't acknowledge Margaret as such until their professional relationship is interrupted]] -- see MistressAndServantBoy -- but of course it's part of the premise.
57	* ShirtlessScene: Or in this case, shirtless and pantless scene for both Reynolds and Bullock.
58	* SlapSlapKiss: Andrew and Margaret.
59	* SuggestiveCollision: 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:
60	-->'''Margaret:''' Oh my God! Why are you naked?\
61	'''Andrew:''' Why are you wet?
62	* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Andrew chases Margaret to the airport but she's already on board the plane. He calls his friend who works in the Air Traffic Control tower and asks him to stop the plane for him. The friend tells him he's not allowed to do that, and the plane takes off on schedule.
63	* ThereIsOnlyOneBed: Justified, as Andrew's family fully expect Margaret and him to sleep together. He takes the floor.
64	* TranquilFury: Andrew is very calm whenever he's angered, which shows when he's speaking to his father.
65	* WakeupMakeup: Played with. Margaret wakes before Andrew and applies makeup to her lips as well as fixing her hair and even gently slapping her cheeks to liven up her face. When Andrew wakes up and joins her in the bed to keep up appearances, he asks if she's wearing makeup, believing she had just woken up as well. She replies, "Of course not."
66	* WaxingLyrical: Margaret joins Andrew's grandma in a dance around the fire. She asks for a "song from the heart". Margaret starts singing Music/LilJon's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NBLvwE7DU0 "Get Low"]].
67	--> '''Andrew:''' Whatcha doin'? \
68	'''Margaret:''' Oh, uh, uh..you know you G-Gammy wanted me to, uh..you know..chant-chant from the heart. \
69	'''Andrew:''' Balls? That's what came to your heart? \
70	'''Margaret:''' You know, it, uh, went-went with the beat.
71	* WellDoneSonGuy: Andrew and his father.

Context Film / TheProposal