Sometimes "The Proposal" is rather engaging.

Mostly, though, it's a paint-by-number, formulaic romantic comedy - a little above average because it does indeed generate some laughs - that shows most of its cards in the trailer that you've probably seen umpty-nine times on television and in the theater. Its stars are appealing, the plot line is pretty much what you'd expect … no muss, no fuss, and a few chuckles along the way.

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is the boss at a publishing company, and her administrative assistant is Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). She is about to be deported to Canada unless she can get married right away. So, to keep her job, she forces Andrew into becoming her fiance.

Naturally, there's a government agent (Denis O'Hare) who's snooping around, even while the couple plans to spend a weekend in Alaska with Andrew's parents (Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson). Of course, Andrew's grandmother (Betty White) is on hand in a role that ranges from the realistically sweet (she insists on giving Margaret a necklace that's been in the family for generations) and the bizarre (she's chanting in the woods).

Guess what? The two hate each other at first and …but hey, I'm giving away the plot of countless romantic comedies, including this one. Anybody see "New in Town" a few months back? This is the same movie, essentially.

Don't get me wrong - the movie definitely contains some laughs. Everyone who's ever worked likely has had a boss from hell like Margaret. It's fun to watch the interoffice e-mails fly as "the witch" arrives at work. Because the two characters have loathed each other for years, Reynolds is at his best when he hears for the first time that he's engaged and tries, through his astonishment, to play along with his overbearing supervisor.

The Alaskan scenery is certainly enjoyable, the secondary characters are interesting enough, and so is an adorable puppy named Kevin (what are his bloodlines, anyway? Pomeranian? Keeshond? It really doesn't matter).

Reynolds and Bullock are fine together because they're supposed to be mismatched. There isn't much chemistry going on because there really isn't supposed to be until about three-quarters of the way through the movie. Both add some class to the film.

This certainly could entertain fans of this genre. It's not a terrible movie, it's just not a terribly original one.