"The Proposal" grosses P23M, opens at no. 1 in RP

CEBU, Philippines - Filipino moviegoers accepted Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds’ proposal — to record-breaking proportions! Touchstone Pictures’ “The Proposal” posted a nationwide opening weekend gross of a heart-stopping P23-million for the July 29-Aug 2 frame, grabbing the all-time biggest opening ever for a romantic comedy, as well as the best debut for a Sandra Bullock film.

This was announced by Victor R. Cabrera, managing director of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines, which distributed the film.

“The Proposal” outperformed recent romantic comedies like “Confessions of a Shopaholic” (P13.36-million), “Music & Lyrics” (P10.76-million), and Bullock’s own titles “Two Weeks Notice” (P11.27-million) and “Miss Congeniality” (P12.25-million).

Bowing in 79 screens across the nation, the film’s Top 20 cinemas are Power Plant (P1.48-million), Greenbelt 3 (P1.32-million), Trinoma (P1.27-million), Glorietta 4 (P1.21-million), Eastwood (P1.20-million), SM Mall of Asia (P1.06-million), Shangri-la (P1.04-M), SM Megamall (P915,890), Alabang Town Center (P 885,264) and Robinsons Ermita (P 717,299).

Rounding up the list are Gateway (P703,022), SM North EDSA (P 697,100), Greenhills (P678,612), Ayala Center Cebu (P663,264), Robinsons Galleria (P531,388), SM Clark (P432,699), SM Cebu (P409,240), Festival (P346,463), Gaisano Davao (P345,094) and SM Baguio (P336,076).

In “The Proposal,” when high-powered book editor Margaret (Bullock) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she’s actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew (Reynolds), who she’s tormented for years. He agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few conditions of his own. The unlikely couple heads to Alaska to meet his quirky family and the always-in-control city girl finds herself in one comedic fish-out-of-water situation after another. With an impromptu wedding in the works and an immigration official on their tails, Margaret and Andrew reluctantly vow to stick to the plan despite the precarious consequences.

Still playing across the Philippines, “The Proposal” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.