It may be true, say the critics, that The Proposal relies heavily on conventional romantic hilarity and formulaic conflict to proceed from point A to point B, but anyone who settles in for a good time will find themselves convinced otherwise. I was, and I enjoyed almost every minute of this new comedy from director Anne Fletcher.

I don't think I've ever seen Sandra Bullock in a role so unlikable as this one; but her un-likability is demonstrated less in terms of her own actions and more in terms of everyone else's reaction to, say, her arrival at work in the morning (they scramble to their desks and send IMs letting each other know that "the witch is on her broom"). This leaves the door wide open for a brilliant redemption as the story unfolds and she and Andrew get to know each other better under circumstances that would kill two lesser characters. Margaret's arrival in Alaska is a typical fish-out-of-water, and Andrew's family is surprisingly warm to her, considering the hell she's put him through over the last three years. But that's where the formula ends, in my opinion. Over the last several years, Bullock has been a party to some enjoyable but forgettable romantic comedies (see: Miss Congeniality, Two Weeks Notice, et al), but The Proposal avoids that category altogether with gags that are smart, well-timed, and sometimes out of nowhere, and the chemistry between these two is something we haven't seen in quite some time, either.

And so eventually -- slowly, in an earned way -- things appear to change between the two as they are forced to experience each other's company far outside the context they're used to, and that is where the real treat lies: watching Andrew and his family gradually but genuinely chip away at Margaret's bitter, hardened exterior just by being themselves. You just know there's a good heart under there somewhere, and that paired with Andrew's likable wit and spot-on sarcasm is what really keeps the audience sprinting toward a finish line they want so badly, they can almost taste it.

Yes, it has convention written all over it, and yes, you can most likely figure out where you'll end up. But how much fun will you have getting there? That's the question The Proposal answers brilliantly. I haven't rooted this hard for an on-screen couple since Sleepless in Seattle.

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