The Proposal

Plot

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is the executive editor-in-chief of a book publishing company, Colden Books. All of her workers, including her assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), hate her. After learning she is being deported back to Canada, she forces Andrew to marry her, as his future is tied to hers. When the government investigates, Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O'Hare) informs them that they will undergo rigorous testing to prove that the marriage is not fraudulent, after being notified by Bob Spaulding that this marriage might be a sham. Andrew grudgingly accepts the proposition of marrying Margaret on the condition that he be promoted to the position of editor and his manuscript be published.

Cast

• Sandra Bullock as Margaret Tate, a socially inept Chief Editor at her major New York City trade book company. However, she is a Canadian-born Canadian citizen. To avoid being deported to Canada for a year because of a visa transgression, she comes up with an idea on the spot of marrying her American assistant, Andrew Paxton. She cannot swim and is an orphan, her parents having died in a car accident when she was sixteen.
• Ryan Reynolds as Andrew Paxton, the good-hearted assistant to Margaret who wishes to be promoted to editor and have his chosen manuscript published. He agrees to the fake marriage on the terms that those two conditions are met. It is later revealed his family is rich (seemingly owning the entire town), but Andrew himself is estranged from his father, who wishes he would take over the family business, and due to work he has not been home for three years.
• Malin Akerman as Gertrude (Gert), Andrew's ex-girlfriend from college. She and Andrew dated through college, but when he asked her to elope with him in New York, Gert refused because of her life in Alaska, as she tells Margaret. She and Andrew clearly still have feelings for each other.
• Mary Steenburgen as Grace Paxton, Andrew's mother, who accepts Margaret immediately, taking her on a girls' night out, giving breakfast in bed, and making her feel welcome. She also does not like Andrew and Joe fighting, and commands her husband to set things right, which Andrew and Margaret both overhear part of. She and the others convince Andrew to go after Margaret when she confesses the sham.
• Craig T. Nelson as Joe Paxton, Andrew's father who owns the family business that dominates the entire town of Sitka. He wants his son to run the family business when he retires and eventually die, but Andrew wants to be a book editor. Joe brings Mr. Gilbertson in after suspecting the marriage is a sham. He and his son reconcile after Gammy has a heart attack and he realizes that Andrew truly loves Margaret.
• Betty White as Grandma Annie (Gammy), Andrew's grandmother, who turns ninety while Andrew and Margaret are visiting Alaska. She takes an immediate liking to Margaret, convincing her to open up and be comfortable with Andrew's family. Gammy disapproves of Joe and Andrew fighting, and forces them to reconcile after faking a heart attack after Margaret leaves the ceremony, she then convinces Andrew to go after Margaret.
• Denis O'Hare as Mr. Gilbertson, the immigration agent investigating Margaret's case. He believes the marriage is a fake and takes great pleasure in the revelation that it is.
• Oscar Nunez as Ramon, an omnipresent citizen of the Alaska town who holds many jobs. He is seen as a waiter, male stripper, a shopkeeper, and even as a minister. In the end it is suggested he is an illegal immigrant.
• Aasif Mandvi as Bob Spaulding, a senior editor at the book company before Margaret fired him early in the film for not getting an author known as Frank the Oprah spot. He insults her after she leaves his office. He told the INS that the marriage was a fake, as he would have gotten his job back if Tate was deported.
• Niecy Nash as Flight Attendant