| Director | Anne Fletcher |
|---|---|
| Genre | comedy film, romantic comedy |
| Runtime | 107 min |
| Country | United States |
| Budget | $40 million |
| Box office | $317 million |
Margaret Tate is a Canadian editor-in-chief at a New York City book publishing company, universally disliked by her subordinates for her pushy personality. A visa violation means she is threatened with deportation back to Canada. Not wanting to lose her position and life in New York, Margaret coerces her long-suffering personal assistant, Andrew Paxton, into marrying her so she can get a green card, telling him that her deportation would set back his dream to become an editor.
Suspicious U.S. immigration agent Gilbertson tells the couple that if they are committing fraud, Margaret will be deported permanently and Andrew will be fined $250,000 and may spend five years in prison. Margaret accepts Andrew's conditions that she make him an editor and publish a particular book that he has recommended.
They travel to Andrew's hometown of Sitka, Alaska, to see his parents, Joe and Grace, and his grandmother Annie. Margaret is surprised to discover that the Paxtons are wealthy. At the welcome home party, Margaret meets waiter Ramone and Andrew's ex-girlfriend Gertrude. Andrew's father, Joe, confronts Andrew, saying he is merely using Margaret to get ahead in his career. Andrew immediately announces their engagement.
The next day, Grace and Annie take Margaret to a bar for her bachelorette party, where Ramone is an exotic dancer. Gertrude tells Margaret that the night before their college graduation, Andrew had proposed to her, but she refused as she didn't want to leave Sitka for New York. Margaret overhears Andrew's parents arguing about an ongoing conflict between Andrew and Joe. She asks Andrew but he refuses to talk about it. She confides in him about her own life and they grow closer.
The family convinces Andrew and Margaret to marry the following day. Margaret admits to Andrew that, since her parents died when she was 16, she has forgotten how it feels to have a family. Gilbertson has contacted Joe about the possible fraud, and Joe has flown Gilbertson to Sitka, where Gilbertson offers the couple a deal: If they confess the engagement is a sham, Margaret will simply be deported and neither of them will face further penalties. They refuse, continuing to claim they are in love.
The wedding is officiated by Ramone. It begins normally until Margaret, touched by the closeness of Andrew's family, stops the ceremony and tells everyone the truth. Gilbertson says she has 24 hours to leave for Canada; she returns to the house to pack. Andrew pursues Margaret but she has already gone. He finds a note from her promising to publish the book he discovered before she leaves. Gertrude comforts Andrew as another argument arises between him and Joe. While they argue, Annie appears to have a heart attack. As she and the family are airlifted towards the hospital, she begs Joe and Andrew to reconcile before she dies. Once they agree, she admits she faked the heart attack to catch up with Margaret, and tells the pilot to divert to catch her plane. Margaret's plane takes off just as they arrive. Andrew's parents realize he really loves Margaret.
Andrew arrives at the New York office as Margaret is packing. He tells her he loves her and they kiss. They inform Gilbertson that they are now engaged for real. He exclaims, "Let's do it!" During the end credits, Gilbertson asks Margaret, Andrew, his parents, and Ramone increasingly ridiculous questions.