Recent Reviews for The Proposition
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MCT:July 24, 2008A great modern western. Quite a different vision that what we tend to think westerns are, but captures that bleakness to perfection. Emily Watson is underrated here and the cinematography is amazing.
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MCT:July 22, 2008This girl loves her films violent, dirty, and contemplative. Guy Pearce is quiet and intense. A rare film that delivers on all levels.
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MCT:July 22, 2008
great acting on show here.
ray winestone plays a british soldior in charge of a post in the outback australia, for the british empire, ne needs to track down local outlaw played by danny huston, so he decides to send other outlaw and brother charlie played by guy pierce, to track him down, along with a promise to let another brother let off a murder charge, so he agrees, much to the disgust of winestones wife played by emily watson, who seems to be talk of the town and she doesent like it. a great take on the western, set in australia, this film looks hot, really hot, really catches that feel, and sence winestones disgust at having been posted there, so will the brother deliver his promise or is family loyalty more inportant, winstone again shows why hes probely the best brit actor around at the moment, and also huston always a joy to watch, he deserves more credit, and again emily watson, so great, great climax to this as well, and ties things up nicely, quite a violent film as well, which helps it a lot, some great set pieces, which is a must for any western. written by nick cave i noticed, hes a respected musician from australia. -
MCT:July 9, 2008Kind of western in the outback but shot with style and a visual knack that seems to grip you through out. very good film.
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MCT:July 9, 2008One of my favorites of that year. Listen to Nick Cave's earlier stuff, he infuses the script with characters from his songs.
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MCT:July 7, 2008
This is one of those "Ahh what is this film?" You watch and are thoroughly thrilled and entertained and taught something. These are al dynamic and full characters. It's a pick of who is less man and more animal; and one will illustrate that good does triumph but there is always a price. It is full of intense situations and wicked actions, no taming of anything. The language and dialogue, the costumes and dress, the recreation of the era all capture the mood and atmosphere of gloom, drear, grit, but also that a light [good] is trying to burst out. Very real but not vicious. Pearce and Houston are entirely cool, unnerving and tormented. Not a western but wild! A time well spent. An engaging storyline that conveys an olf theme- good vs evil.
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MCT:July 7, 2008A pretty decent western set in Austrailia. A strong cast give good performances but the story/plot line is a bit too simple and predictable. One for western fans, quite violent at times to.
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MCT:June 29, 2008
This film has a great cast and acting.It was also funny at times.It had a good bit of gore for a western but I keep feeling there was something missing in film.
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MCT:June 27, 2008
This is one of the better moments in Australian cinema. This film showps plenty of beautiful landscapes, and has great music but the characters really shine here. One of the best reasently made weterns by far
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MCT:June 27, 2008
What is "The Proposition" a lawmen new to Australia(which was settled first by English convicts and prisoners), sets out ot avenge the horrible and violent death of a pregnant woman and her family(of whome his wife was a close personal freind). His plan is simple he will capture two brothers from the famous Burns gang and will ask one Charles(Guy Pierce), to kill his older brother the savage Arthur(who commited the murders), or else the lawman will kill his younger brother the mentallly handicapped Micheal. What follows is Charles quest to find his brother, and the lawman's quest to civilize the new country.
Since it's set in Australia it's technically not a "Western", though aside from that detail, and the replacement of Indians with Aboriganals, you'd hardly notice. However the distinction is important, because The Proposition is a deceptively clever film. The proposition in question is whether you should kill your brother to save your brother. The inherint drawback in chosing civilization over the wilds is it puts one instantly at odds with the wilds, in binary us vs. them, civilization vs. non-civilzation. Civilazation is the town, the law, it's fashions and fears, the wilds are the country itself, it's natives and non-whites, it's criminals, it's desolate terrain and animals. In choosing to kill his brother, Charlie Burns, takes up the proposition of civlization, to kill the strong and the other, in order to spare the meek and familiar. Had screen-writer Nick Cave, left the story there it would have been a midly interesting new western, what makes it great however is it complicates further.
The sherriffs wife wants revenge for her freind and demands the younger Burns boy be punished, as does the town and his superiors who don't understand why he released Charles in the first place. If the sheriff punishes the boy(a public wipping he will likely not survive), the pact will be broken, and he himself will have to face the Burns brothers should they return.
In the wilds there are angry natives, roaming criminals and mercenaries, and a pregrant woman can be raped and murdered in her own home. While in the civilized town a young handicapped boy can be beaten to death publically for something he did not do and by rights does not understand. The proposition, or choice between the new nation or anarchy, is not one that can be easily made, and this is the subltle brilliance of this movie. Arthur burns at one point says when asked by another member of his gang wheter or not they are misanthropes; people who hate the world and everyone in it, to which he replies "Were not misanthropes were family".
On one level it's just a very gritty western with lush cinematography and amazing music, and on another level it's a story about the founding of a country like Emir Kusturica's "Underground" was to Yugoslavia, and on yet another it's an weighing of the pros and cons of all civilizations(as many people pointed out Australia around this period resembles the wild American west to a T).
You don't have to think about all this during the film to enjoy the story, but in it's at times thin or slow patches it might help to know that there are greater forces at work in this film than meet the eye(consider John Hurt's wonderfull speech early on the film, about why they are in Australia).
I don't particularly care for Westerns, it's rare when I fall for one, along with "3:10 To Yuma" another film which can go over peoples heads, this was a film that breathed great life into a genre I would not normally look at. It's difficult stuff in this film, but with a little thought and patience it rewards, where many similar movies just cram in extra gun fights. -
MCT:June 27, 2008
Captain Stanley: Now, suppose I told you there was a way to save your little brother Mikey from the noose. Suppose I gave you a horse and a gun. Suppose, Mr. Burns, I was to give both you and your young brother Mikey, here, a pardon. Suppose I said that I could give you the chance to expunge the guilt beneath which you so clearly labour. Suppose I gave you till Christmas. Now, suppose you tell me what it is I want from you.
Charlie Burns: You want me to kill me brother.
Captain Stanley: I want you to kill your brother.
The Proposition is an artistic tale of disloyalty, honour, rituals of violence and familial bonds. Not only does this gritty film accomplish a new standard for the western genre (previously shaped by Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns and other such films as Unforgiven and The Wild Bunch), but it additionally inaugurates a new era of Australian filmmaking. The Proposition is a peculiar film that can best be described as a beautiful nightmare mixed with an absorbing character examination and some unconventional underlying messages. Nick Cave, the famous Aussie rocker, wrote the screenplay as well as assisting in the creation of the powerful and evocative musical score, with John Hillcoat at the helm. In a nutshell: this is one of those westerns you will either love or loathe. It is a strange, unsettling film that is both gratuitous and relentless - exactly the tone of the period in which it is set. Some people criticised the strong explicit violence; however I find it necessary to underline the strong moralistic message that stimulates the film's proceedings.
The title of The Proposition refers to a significant facet of the film's plot: a facet that virtually fuels the film for its duration. The typical plot for a western has been transplanted into the harsh sands of rural outback Australia. Mikey (Wilson), Charlie (Pearce) and Arthur Burns (Huston) are three brothers who are prime suspects in raping a pregnant woman and subsequently murdering an entire family. A British lawman known as Captain Stanley (Winstone) is hired by the local Australian authorities to track down the three brothers. At the beginning of the film, Charlie and Mikey Burns lose in a shoot-out to the authorities and are arrested by Captain Stanley. But the supposed mastermind of the brothers, Arthur, is on the loose. Stanley strikes an impossible proposition with Charlie. Basically, Stanley will agree to pardon both Charlie and Mikey if Charlie agrees to venture out into the desert and hunt down his brother Arthur. If Charlie does not return by Christmas Day then young Mikey will be hung by the neck. Either way, one of his brothers will be killed on Christmas Day. Charlie is faced with the gruelling decision of choosing which brother he must sacrifice to save the other.
The plot is straightforward and easy to follow, but at the same time it's also highly effective and embodies tremendous emotional depth. This praiseworthy emotional depth can be attributed to the potent screenplay penned by Nick Cave, the powerful performances, astonishing direction and the captivating cinematography that accurately encapsulates the unsympathetic rural outback. Using beautiful cinematography, the filmmakers present a commendable portrayal of the landscape of the Australian desert. This aforementioned landscape is a character equally as vital as any of the damaged souls wandering through it. The outback is laudably photographed by Hillcoat and cinematographer Benoit Delhomme: it's beautiful yet hostile, recognisable yet alien and ultimately indifferent to humankind. The sands of this desolate area are spectacular to witness. Scorched and sun-blasted - this is the kind of location where awful, violent things are bound to transpire.
The Proposition returns the western genre to its roots by resurrecting classic trademarks. One of these admirable qualities is the equivocations while establishing the heroes from the villains. The three Burns brothers are portrayed as evil, but on the contrary the film explores this facet to be marginally untrue. Charlie in particular is on the road to redemption and this film depicts the change of mindset. This inner journey is a deeply explored, leading to an remarkably potent final shot. The authorities of the genre are stereotypically depicted as the heroes of the film. The Proposition blurs that convention and presents us with a diverse slate of characters. For the most part, the authority figures are shown as brainless and inept, but above all are even heartless than the outlaws they are currently hunting.
The transformation of locations is another innovative feature in this particular film. Filmmakers have endlessly portrayed the period in different American locations, so when the creative team shifted the focus to Australia they were already breaking new ground. There are many stirring and memorable things about this brutal Australian western, but personally the flies created the most potent effect. Possibly this is for the reason that they're absolutely everywhere; the majority of the film's scenes feature the omnipresent buzzing of hundreds of hungry flies. Whether indoors or outdoors, moving or standing still, it matters not - they're there and you cannot avoid them. Some scenes even highlight the fact that inhabitants of the outback have learned to eat food even if infested with the entire fly population. Their presence is inescapable in the blistering outback wasteland in which The Proposition is set, and that impression of suffocating inevitability is raw, visceral and uncompromising: ultimately an admirable component imperative for the film's success.
Each character of the film is played to absolute perfection. This is an Australian film with British financing, hence a rare instance when an Aussie film contains a cast filled by international stars. Guy Pearce is fierce and haunting in the lead role. We've all seen him in films such as Memento and Factory Girl, and he's tremendously suitable as a typical gunslinger. His character undergoes a subtle moralistic internal journey that leads to an unexpectedly, unforgettably brutal climax. Surrounding Pearce we have a number of fantastic international stars filling the supporting cast. Ray Winstone plays a principal character that is explored powerfully. His character of Captain Stanley does not succumb to the expected hateful authority figure. Stanley is a rational man trying to do the right thing and yet realising that he's hopelessly overwhelmed. Gazing out at the despondency of the desert, Stanley has no idea what will materialise and his uncertainty is where the central plot is constructed. The Proposition sees Stanley trapped in a hell that is partly his own doing and partly circumstance. He asserts his control early and makes his goal clear: he wants to civilise the country. However it doesn't take long before things slip from his grasp. This is especially palpable when he's upbraided by his superior: the commanding Eden Fletcher (Wenham) who's furious that Stanley allowed a prisoner to go free. Stanley becomes reduced to a dumbstruck child, unable to do much more than weep for the destruction of his pride and all he thought was right. Part of Stanley's downfall can be attributed to his desire to civilise the outback and his willingness to strike deals with devils to do so. Although actor Guy Pearce is the lead, I see the story as being more about Winstone's character of Stanley. While Pearce's Charlie confronts his inner demons to achieve a moral awakening, Stanley is also undergoing a spiritual journey as he comes to terms with the destruction of his merits. Danny Huston brilliantly portrays the murderous rage of Arthur Burns and creates a career-best performance. Also in the cast there's a superb John Hurt as a quirky bounty hunter, a unique David Wenham as the aforementioned authority figure, and Emily Watson as Winstone's bride.
Overall, The Proposition is one of the best Australian productions I have seen for years! This is an intense, riveting, wholly gratifying and poignant addition to the western genre that has remained dormant for years. Not since Jim Jarmusch's 1995 film Dead Man have I been this impressed with the genre. Before that, Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven. Every generation has its definitive western and, until persuaded otherwise, The Proposition stands as this generation's definitive western. There may be a shortage on action, but it doesn't matter through my eyes. This is a beautifully filmed movie that is both powerful and challenging. The film's climax is particularly haunting. The final shot shows two characters sitting motionless in front of an achingly gorgeous sunset as one asks the other, "What're you gonna do now?" The answer goes unspoken, however it rings clear anyway: sit here and wait for the flies to come take them just like everyone else. -
MCT:June 18, 2008So the screenplay was written by Nick Cave and I love him...so what more could I ask for but a film written by the dark one himself. I contemplate at Blockbuster because if the film has the same tone as his music I may need to watch in segments.
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MCT:June 16, 2008
Punk rocker/murder balladier Nick Cave sent his characteristic obsessions with Old vs. New Testament, and blood-soaked redemption, straight into this beautifully shot genre Western.
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MCT:June 9, 2008
A great film. Guy pearce plays it great in this movie. You must see this film if you're a fan of the western films, but don't expect a full amount of gun slinging in this one.
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MCT:May 31, 2008
A remarkable, brutal, poetic and riveting western epic. Sergio Leone, Clint Eastwood and Howard Hawkes would be proud of this film. A teriffic movie. Ray Winstone gives a great and compelling performance. Guy Pearce is teriffic. Danny Huston gives a brutally sly and charming performance. John Hurt is brilliant. Emily Watson is marvelous. A powerful, stunning, dazzeling and unforgettable film. It's totally alive with passion, energy, bloody action and darkness. A Wickedly cool, tremendous and spectacular movie. It's incrediable. A grim adventure into the hearts of violent men. It ranks with classics like Unforgiven. A masterpiece in it's own right.
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MCT:May 27, 2008
Excellent story set in the Australian outback, written by musician Nick Cave. I liked this one a lot more than i thought i would.
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MCT:May 21, 2008
loved the back drop of the ozzy outback and was liking what they were tryin to do with it. guy pearce says about 2 words the whole thing which is when you know someone is a badass and we all know winstone was drinkin real whiskey when the cast were drinkin cold tea.
john hurt spoke to well for a dirty bounty hunter and emily watson i just hated throughout... who the fuck stays that clean in the outback!? -
MCT:May 10, 2008
This western is a poetic masterpiece, with an excellent script and soundtrack from Nick Cave. Guy Pearce is one of the most underrated actors out there right now and this film is just more proof.
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MCT:May 9, 2008
This is a gritty, filthy, ultra violent western set in Austalia. The cinematography is amazing. And the use of yellow is unique. This is one of the best westerns made in the last 30 years. Everything about this film kicks ass. Seriously essential veiwing for the fan of westerns!
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MCT:April 24, 2008
Not easy to watch due to its pace and relentlessly bleak outlook, but reasonably rewarding and well made. The arid landscape is oddly beautiful, there is tension throughout despite the inevitability of the final bloodbath and Emily Watson's character adds depth to what could otherwise be a very one-note film. It's a touch pretentious occasionally and is probably not worth watching more than once, but its time and place in history make it more interesting than your average revenge thriller.
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MCT:April 23, 2008
Sadistic Law enforcer in 1880's frontier Australia gives a member of an outlaw gang (Guy Pearce) the eponymous proposition. Kill your older brother (Danny Houston), or your younger brother dies.Screenplay by chuckle brother Nick Cave, much has been made of the bloody violence in this,but given the context,its entirely justified. Good performances from Pearce,Ray Winstone and Emily Watson,it's not exactly feelgood stuff, but utterly compelling in parts.Recommended
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MCT:April 21, 2008In late nineteenth century Australia two brothers of a criminal gang are captured one of them is given a proposition to bring the gang leader (his older brother) in, if he doesn't then the younger brother will hang on Christmas Day. With that as a base for the story and Guy Pearce as the brother given the proposition I thought I'd be onto a winner. Unfortunately I found the film a bit dull and didn't find any of the main characters interesting. The only character that I actually liked was the bounty hunter played by John Hurt, who is also trying to bring the gang leader in. With a deadline set in a film you usually get a sense of urgency about things, but it didn't really happen until near the end of the film, and it's only then end of the film that stopped me from giving this film two stars. The bleak Australian landscape was a good addition to the story given the decision that Pearce's character has to make, although I think there were perhaps too many shots showing how barren the landscape was. It's a Wonderful Life has nothing to fear of being replaced as THE Christmas film.
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MCT:April 13, 2008
It's not a revival for the Western, it is a movie to remembers us that Western will never die. With a great story, great actors. Brutality in the right quantity, poetry, literature parts, it's a great script.
Not a Unforgiven, because it is impossible, but the idea to put the west ambient on the Australia was awesome, a land fully of mysticism and knowledge.
Not a Unforgiven, but a great piece a art. -
MCT:April 11, 2008
Great idea to use Australia as a setting for Western. And as others have mentioned, good casting and good script by Nick Cave
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MCT:April 4, 2008
Very cool. Great cast. Great Soundtrack. Great artistic vision. A western taking place in Australia...niiice. I personally feel the director did a fine job. It doesn't top 3:10 to Yuma, but does successfully make it to number 2 on my favorite western list.
