Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds are funny in this romantic comedy, but ending could be more romantic *** 3 Stars
By Gabrielle Pantera

The Proposal on DVD and Blu-ray

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 10/18/2009 – “She’s really fun to play because she’s in all of us,” says The Proposal star Sandra Bullock of her character Margaret. “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.”

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) editor and terror at a New York publishing house is threatened with being deported back home to Canada. Her plan? Marry an American. her overworked and unappreciated assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). In return for a promotion, Andrew agrees to go along with her scheme. But immigration is suspicious. Margaret must prove that the couple’s engagement is real. They go to Alaska to announce their engagement to Andrew’s surprised family. Andrew’s grandmother (Betty White) asks, “Isn’t this the boss you called the bride of Satan?”.

“Margaret was written the way they usually write the male roles, which are usually the juiciest,” says Bullock,. “They’re allowed to be complex, unattractive, crabby, difficult, fun and funny, which is not how female characters are usually written.”

“Typically, comedies are male driven,” says The Proposal star Ryan Reynolds. “I love it when it’s the other way around. Here, Sandy’s character is the oppressor.”

“You soon find out that the person you think is dominant really isn’t,” says Bullock. “Andrew is the one in control. It even surprises Margaret. She’s relied on him so heavily over the past years that without him, she can’t do her job. The man that’s capable of taming the shrew does not have to carry the big stick or speak loudly. He’s the one who knows exactly why she’s the way she is. 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.”

Mary Steenburgen (Step Brothers) plays Andrew’s mom with great charm and vulnerability. Craig T. Nelson (Coach), Malin Ackerman (The Watchmen), Oscar Nunez (The Office) also star. Golden Girls veteran Betty White steals many scenes.

Bonus Features for The Proposal include outtakes, bloopers, deleted scenes and light moments on set with the cast and crew. Audio Commentary by director Anne Fletcher and writer Peter Chiarelli.

There’s an alternate ending that stars Niesy Nash (Clean House). While this original ending has funny moments, it’s clear why it was changed. Unfortunately, the new ending is still the weakest part of The Proposal. The new ending reuses the ending of the Sandra Bullock hit While You Were Sleeping. However, in While You Were Sleeping, Bullock’s character was a sweet shy girl, not a power-hungry executive woman.

The Proposal is a romantic comedy that’s not as romantic as it could have been. A more satisfying ending, and more in keeping with the characters, would be that the assistant had planned every move.

Here’s an ending you’ll never see for The Proposal, but may wish you did. Andrew has worked for three years for Margaret, the most beautiful and ambitious woman in the publishing business. As her right hand, he knows every intimate detail about her. After forgetting to sign her immigration papers, Margaret must marry an American to stay in the country and keep her job. Andrew is her only choice. So far, same story.

What if Andrew sees beyond Margaret’s tough girl façade. What if he’s secretly in love with her? Andrew can’t ask Margaret out on a date because he works for her, and she’s never noticed him anyway. He could deliberately let Margaret forget to sign her immigration papers, expecting she’ll come up with the scheme to propose to him. Then a game of romance could unfold in the Shakespeare tradition of Taming of the Shrew, with the funny twist that the shrew finds out at the end she was never calling the shots. It’s the alternative ending that never was.

Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Release date: October 13, 2009, Blu-ray and DVD

Feature run time: 108 Minutes

Rated: PG-13 U.S., PG Canada

Bonus Materials Not Rated in US

Technical specifications may only apply to feature

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Sound: BD: English 5.1 DTS-HD 48KH3/24-bit; DVD: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Languages: English, Spanish, French

The Proposal has a suggested retail price of $44.99 (US) and $51.99 (Canada) for 2-Disc Bluray Hi-Def with Digital File, $39.99 (US) and $44.99 (Canada) for 2-Disc DVD with Digital File, $29.99 (US) and $35.99 (Canada) for 1-Disc DVD and $44.99 (Canada) for 1-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def.