The Proposal review ... should we call it a ComRom?

Is it possible to have a romantic comedy that has almost no romance in it at all? I think "The Proposal" is about as close as you can get.

Sandra Bullock stars as Margaret Tate. She's a queen bee book editor whose drones cower in fear whenever she moves through the office. Think "The Devil Wears Prada" in the publishing world ... perhaps "The Devil Reads Danielle Steel?" ... maybe not.
Her job security is made insecure when her work visa is cancelled after she traveled out-of-country for a book tour and now faces deportation to Canada. Backed into a corner she conspires to take advantage of that age-old loophole; marry an American, stay in America. Her choice? Her assistant, Andrew (Ryan Reynolds.) But before she can seal the deal she has to convince an overly-aggressive immigration investigator that their 'engagement' is real.

But wait, you say ... hasn't this movie already come out ... about 19 years ago and it was titled 'Greeen Card?' Well, yes and no. While the premise is forced, and almost cliche, the execution is surprisingly fresh. Bullock has made a career out of playing women who pine for the one who will really love her, but this time she's all business. In fact, she's actually kind of mean. The smile that made her America's Sweetheart is now filled with shark teeth and a sharp tongue. Her eyes that once lit up the screen are now filtered through dark eyeliner that turns her gaze into a laser that can cut through steel. Her abuse is most often targeted at Reynolds who accepts it with the knowledge that one day he will be able to move up from Executive Assistant to Editor, but only if his boss gives the green light. The two make a deal, she will make him editor if he agrees to marry her for a couple years at which time they can get a quick divorce.

The two travel to his hometown of Sitka, Alaska (pop. 8,896) where she discovers his roots are deep, and his family's name is on nearly every building in town. He hasn't been back in three years, but his grandmother (Betty White) is celebrating her 90th birthday. The family is confused when they hear that the woman who has made his life miserable for so long is now his fiancee.

Not cliche enough for ya? Let's add in a high school sweetheart who still longs for Andrew, a fish-out-of-water story as we see Margaret deal with nature for the first time, a little father-son conflict and a quicky wedding to make Grandma happy.

That's almost enough for four chick-flicks, right? While on paper it may sound like too much, there's something special about the execution. The chemistry between Bullock and Reynolds is sensational, but never cloy, and Betty White steals the spotlight everytime she appears on screen. The Office's Oscar Nunez also has great fun as Ramone, the town’s jack-of-all-trades whose skills include male stripper, and another job which I will leave to audiences to find out.

So, yes, this is a romantic comedy, but the emphasis is on the comedy ... maybe that's the difference.