Review of The Proposition (2005) by Jacob G — 21 Oct 2010

This is what a western filmed in the 21st century should look like. Stark images blend with Rodriguez/Tarantino-esque violence, but the real heart of the story is with the characters. Good and bad blend such that there is no obvious protagonist or antagonist.

Some people will end up rooting for Guy Pearce's character--the iconic posterboy for the movie, who looks like Jesus with his long hair and beard. Others will root for Ray Winstone's character, the edgy sheriff trying to civilize his town.

But the story isn't really about Pearce or Winstone, or even the other main characters. Instead, they are simply symptoms of what the Australian outback town is struggling with--conflicting new-school ways of operating: an unforgiving, punishing no-compromise jurisdiction from the political Man, or a more psychological approach time crime which tries to get at the root of the problem, attempting to save the criminals who are as much victims as the people they victimized, while nipping the bud of the problem.

The movie flashes the positive and negative points to each side, allowing the viewer to pick which they feel is most appropriate. The only drawback to the film is that while the plot concludes, these more abstract questions are left hanging.

Regardless, it is great to see a modern western that both has the core western action while also being a film about more than just crime and violence.