Box office Indecent Proposal was a box office success, grossing $106,614,059 in the US and Canada and $159,985,941 internationally for a worldwide total of $266,600,000. The film opened on 1,694 screens in the United States and Canada on April 7, 1993, and grossed $18,387,632 in its opening weekend to
top the US box office, the biggest opening at the time for an April release. It was number one for four weeks Some journalists attributed the audience turnout to Paramount's strong marketing campaign, as well as the film's sensational premise that made for heated debates. It officially opened in Australia on April 29 and remained at number one for four more weeks. In the UK, it also benefited from previews in
topping the UK box office with an opening weekend gross of $2.4 million (£1.5 million) including previews. It remained number one in the UK for three weeks. In Italy, it was Paramount/
United International Pictures' second biggest ever opening with an opening weekend gross of $1.6 million. Critics noted that the film was the latest of a string of movies that involved women being treated as property, such as
Pretty Woman,
Honeymoon in Vegas, and
Mad Dog and Glory. A major criticism was that the film did not fully explore its potentially enticing premise.
Janet Maslin of
The New York Times wrote: "For all its ostensible daring,
Indecent Proposal is much too cautious. None of the three principals really change as a consequence of the story. None of the frankness that might make matters interesting is allowed to sully the romantic mood. None of the characters have lives outside the confines of the story, although the lonely Gage, when celebrating a big gambling win, suddenly gives a party for 200 anonymous, soigne-looking friends." In
The Telegraph, Anthony Brett said that despite its packaging as a steamy
thriller, "
Indecent Proposal is in fact a largely distasteful and bizarrely plodding romantic drama, one that gently pokes at lofty ideas about power and marriage and the
American dream but scurries away before it hits on anything too dicey." Several critics found Harrelson to be the weak link of the cast, with McCarthy writing the actor is not given much to do except display "puppydog love in the first section and standard-issue jealousy in the second". However, multiple critics were complimentary of the film's supporting cast, particularly
Oliver Platt as the Murphys' wisecracking, sleazy lawyer. The film also sparked significant backlash from
feminists and critics for its depiction of a woman bartering with her body for the benefit of her husband.
Peter Travers of
Rolling Stone called the film "sexist
propaganda." Activist
Betty Friedan and filmmaker
Callie Khouri argued the film promotes the idea of
prostitution, with Friedan saying, "What does it say? Thirteen-year-old girls will see that movie and be told you don’t need to bother to do your homework or to get an
MBA, all you need to do is diet enough to be anorexic, get some silicone and look for that lonely billionaire." Producer
Denise Di Novi suggested the film could be characterized as a
women in prison film, because it has a woman in a "submissive, controlled situation." Jones later said: "When the film was released, it caused a great deal of controversy, because, you know, how could I write this thing about a woman spending the night with this guy for a million dollars? The idea that a woman should not be tempted by any of those things, or she should be so pure that you can’t make a movie about her feeling that way — I mean, go watch some
French cinema! It's more complicated than that. I’m as big a feminist as you’ll find, but part of feminism for me is that women can be portrayed not as visions of perfection on-screen, but as whole human beings with choices." Ebert gave the film a thumbs up on
Siskel & Ebert, while his colleague
Gene Siskel gave it a thumbs down. In his print review, Ebert admitted there "are large challenges to logic" and the plot is "manipulative", but said "there is a genuine romantic spirit at work here", concluding that a necessary suspension of disbelief is "why we line up at the ticket window: We want to leave the real world, for a couple of hours, anyway". He also described the film's decision to keep the actual night of adultery offscreen as wise. Audience response was less negative, with those polled by
CinemaScore giving an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. The film is listed in
Golden Raspberry Award founder
John Wilson's book
The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of the "100 most enjoyably worst movies ever made".
Awards and nominations ==Soundtrack==