Entertainment

KNOT SO BAD

SHAMELESSLY derivative, contrived and predictable, “The Proposal” is nonetheless a crowd-pleasing romantic comedy — the paying audience at a screening I attended laughed their heads off.

Chemistry counts for a lot in this kind of movie, and Sandra Bullock’s first rom-com in seven years — with her first nude scene ever — provides her with an ideal sparring partner in Ryan Reynolds.

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He’s a big improvement over the diffident Hugh Grant, who led Bullock to swear off the genre after their teaming in “Two Weeks Notice.”

Bullock is Margaret, the book-publisher boss from hell (think “The Devil Wears Prada”), and he’s Andrew, her long-suffering assistant of three years, who dubs her “The Devil’s Mistress” in one of his kinder moments.

Margaret, who needs to avoid being deported to her native Canada because of one of those technicalities so beloved by screenwriters (see “Green Card”), blackmails the unwilling Andrew into marrying her so she can stay in the country.

If he doesn’t, she’ll blacklist the aspiring editor in the publishing industry.

To convince a highly skeptical immigration agent (Denis O’Hare) the faux couple fly together to his hometown in Alaska (ably impersonated by Massachusetts) for a family celebration of his grandmother’s 90th birthday.

Margaret’s fish-out-of-water adventures — including awkward encounters with a male stripper, an overly enthusiastic puppy and a cellphone-grabbing hawk — are as predictable as what happens when she and Andrew try to deceive his family.

And Margaret, a careerist who admits to not having slept with a man in two years, is of course forced to re-examine her priorities.

Andrew, it must be admitted, thaws the boss — their 12-year age difference mentioned only in one joke — in an entirely agreeable manner. Such as an expertly staged accidental (tasteful) nude grappling that demonstrates once again not only is Bullock an able physical comedian, she’s in terrific shape for a 44-year-old.

Reynolds, who actually is a Canadian in real life (and Scarlett Johansson’s husband to boot), gives his first bona fide movie star performance after efforts in a variety of ill-suiting genres, matching Bullock’s expertise in the rom-com genre quip for quip.

The meatiest supporting role goes to veteran scene-stealer Betty White as Andrew’s grandmother, who in the funniest scene has difficulty locating Margaret’s breasts while fitting the reluctant bride for a wedding dress. Don’t be surprised if she gets an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Craig T. Nelson has less to do as Andrew’s disapproving father, who smells a rat in Margaret, and Mary Steenburgen is basically wasted as his mother.

The boss asked if I enjoyed “The Proposal.” As a longtime Bullock fan, I guess the answer is yes, but I’m calling it a guilty pleasure.

lou.lumenick@nypost.com