The Proposition
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Movie Reviews of The Proposition
Movie Review: Gritty, honest and endearing, a one of a kind movie experience...
Summary: 5 Stars
I am not a fan of the Western; in fact I'm so not a fan that I had to be practically forced to watch this film despite the fact that I love both Danny Huston and Ray Winstone. That said, `The Proposition' is so perfect it film that it breaks my top five of the year. It's so engrossing, so breathtaking and so blisteringly real that one can't help but become completely invested into the story, the plot and the characters. The performances by the entire cast are above and beyond brilliant, and the direction is superbly orchestrated. Just about every facet of this film is brilliance, from the score to the cinematography to the captivating screenplay.
The plot follows a group of murderous brothers, Arthur, Charlie and Mike Burns who kill for the pure thrill of it. When Charlie and Mike are captured Charlie makes a deal with the Captain for his and his younger brothers life. Charlie is asked to kill his oldest brother Arthur, the mastermind behind the brother's murderous rampages. He accepts the offer, and Mike is left in the Captain's hands until the job is done. This is the proposition that starts the film and as the film progresses it builds upon each character so well, effortlessly drawing the audience into the plight of each. As Charlie travels to find his brother he faces the decision of whether to slay him or join forces with him to overtake the Captain, and in Charlie's absence the Captain is left to battle his conscience and the strong will of the townsfolk who want to exact revenge for the rapes and murders on young Mike who it appears really had little to do with the happenings in the first place.
What really sets this masterpiece apart from almost every other film in recent memory is the commanding strength of the entire cast. This truly is an actor's film, and each and every actor does such an orgasmic job with their performances. Guy Pearce, an actor I never really developed a liking for, delivers his finest performance, very understated and nuanced and subtle performance. In fact what makes each performance here so brilliant is that amidst the brutal and bloody backdrop each actor relishes in the subtleties of their characters providing the perfect compliment for the rampage taking place within scenes. Emily Watson also delivers one fine performance as Captain Stanley's gentle wife, tortured herself by the aftermath of the Burns brother's disastrous actions and plagued by her good soul yet vengeful spirit. Danny Huston, who plays Arthur Burns, delivers his finest performance to date. This guy is truly one to watch. He's given three of my favorite supporting performances in the past few years (`Birth', `The Constant Gardener' & `The Proposition') but here is where he finally grabs hold of his character and delves into his soul, developing someone truly evil, just completely and utterly infectious.
But, that said, his performance doesn't even come close to the brilliance that is Ray Winstone. As Captain Stanley, Winstone evokes so much emotion, so much effortless truism. When his character is first introduced he appears to ruthless, so harsh and in my eyes he appeared to be the outright villain of the film, but within moments it was made apparent that he was in fact the moral center of this film. As he battles with his own conscience versus that of the town, and even that of his usually supportive wife we can read the frustration and inner agony writhing over his face. As his wife pleads with him to take vengeance, as the town presses further down on him, as he watches in complete detachment the fruits of the town's persistence we can see this mans inner turmoil taking its toll. What Ray Winstone does here is what every actor should hope to one day accomplish, and the fact that he was snubbed by the Academy in favor of mediocre work by DiCaprio and the sentimentally nominated O'Toole is just ridiculous and downright aggravating. Forget Whitaker, Winstone gives hands down the best male performance of 2006.
So, in the end `The Proposition' may very well be my favorite film of 2006. I'm still weighing out my final opinions but it's definitely cracked my top five and that's not something I would have ever expected. What John Hillcoat has brilliantly been able to accomplish is create a epic moving drama set in the west complete with breathtaking action, brutal violence and above all else and beating heart that demands the audience emotional investment. As I have already mentioned, `The Proposition' is downright cinematic perfection, from breathtaking direction, effortless camerawork, brilliant scripting and some of the most endearing performances to date all coming together to create a movie experience you won't soon forget, or therefore regret.
Movie Review: A Great Western
Summary: 5 Stars
This film, written by and with music from Nick Cave has scenic beauty, several scenes of horrific inhumanity, and excellent acting from beginning to end. Guy Pearce does a Sheen-like turn as the brother and Danny Huston as the Brando-type (loosely from Apocalypse Now). Emily Watson strongly plays the Captain's wife. Ray Winstone as the captain that wants to bring civilization to the outback of Australia. John Hurt has several memorable moments as the bounty hunter.
This movie shows what a great piece of art a Western can be. The endless possibilities. The wide open space. The polychromatic visions and desert landscape. Westerns juxtapose beauty and horror right next to one another as if they were Siamese twins. This is why historically, the Western places prominently in the best films of all time.
Movie Review: I know I'll think about The Proposition tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow
Summary: 5 Stars
A marvelous, haunting, brutal, tortured descent into the outback of right and wrong, The Proposition is as good, no as great a "Western" I've seen since Eastwood's Unforgiven.
A beautiful evocation of a time and a place, cinematically stunning, musically spare and poetic, unremitting in it's executions of the will of violence and the struggle of men.
But to me, The Proposition is a rumination on White Man's Burden, a fraught incursion into the moral morass of Australia's Aboriginal genocide and Christian hypocrisy, ignorance and fear. The disregard for the Aboriginies is pivotal to Arthur's (Danny Huston) madness, while Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) must toe a line, one which nobody seems able to comprehend, in pursuit of civilization. Biblical homage can't get too much closer than one brother's murder of another, and the paradoxical simplicity/majesty of the basic acts resonates vibrantly throughout The Proposition.
So, while I am less familiar with director John Hillcoat, I do know Nick Cave, so I can more easily attribute my visceral movements to his artistry, with no disregard to Hillcoat's direction. Nor any toward Guy Pearce, a chilling Huston or-(one of my absolute favorite actors)-Winstone.
This is truly one of the best films of recent memory.
Movie Review: for fans of deadwood
Summary: 3 Stars
lots of people offered the highest recommendation for this film. plus im a fan of early nick cave (bday party adn his first two solo albums) AND im a fan of certain westerns (all Clint Eastwood esp Unforgiven - the books: Gunfighter and Blood Meridian)... so i was really looking forward to this one.
Im not a fan of deadwood. I just dont get that show whatseoever. and the Proposition has similar boring pacing and mumbling characters (made worse by thick australian accents). I couldnt understand half of what they were saying and what i did understand I found to be painfully boring. the cinematography was superb. so I kept watching and waiting for it to pick up... and waiting... and waiting... (I must have watched 3/4 but it seemed like an eternity - if i hadnt read the back of the box i wouldnt have even known what was going on) finally I couldnt stand it anymore and turned it off.
I didnt even fast forward to the ending. I was that disappointed.
Movie Review: Intense & Disturbing
Summary: 4 Stars
The Australian outback plays a pivotal role in this movie set in the 19th century Australia when law is far in between. The story is simple enough where Guy Pierce's character is given a proposition to kill his brother (leader of the pack that allegedly massacres a family and raping a woman pregnant with a child) within nine days so that he shall be given a pardon & to redeem his younger brother. And so the journey begins. There is a glimpse of racism of the time (and still does) when there's a discussion of Darwin and how ridicule the white people felt when they are compared to monkeys and to Aborigines. The Police Chief with a constant headache is fervently trying to resolve the crime properly by stamping down upon the Gang whilst his Superior is keen to dispense quicky justice to appease the citizens. This movie succeeds in creating a feeling of living on the edge and unpleasantness. Swarms of fly are ever present, intense heat, loneliness of the outback. Headed by outstanding casts such as Emily Watson, John Hurt, Dany Houston, they portray a hostile outback where everyone fends for themselves and perhaps the desolation is driving people to madness &/or desolation. This is an outstanding movie that deserves to be seen on the big screen. Nick Cave's music accompaniment to the Proposition really is rather appropriate indeed. Overall, a very comprehensive movie that should have a bigger commercial success. Here, Guy Pierce truly shows his versatility in different genres. Highly recommended.