Review of The Proposition (2005) by Michael W — 06 Mar 2015

A dustcoat-western set in the outback, that focuses on equality in man, death, justice and race.

The film affirmatively has an amazing script and a rather talented crew (director John Hillcoat, director of the film Lawless that centered around the exhibition of alcohol in the 1930's and the brothers who bootleg it), but for the first time I am gonna target one person as the reason this film is not enjoyable throughout, Ray Winstone who performs with a lackluster results as Captain Stanley. His role is as the morally tormented Cap of the troops stationed in a racist and lawless town in the middle of the desert, his role as-well as the other troops are supposed to impose that the law is as nasty as the killers they are looking for throughout the film, although Cpt. Stanley is more stricken by the things he does to the natives and or any who get hurt in this film.

Any scene with Ray Winstone is boring and his execution- poorly acted- role does nothing to make you care in the slightest what happens to him or his wife, which is un-believable. His role diminish's the proven talent that is Emily Watson, who plays his wife who struggle to come to terms with the barbarity of her husbands job as he tries hard to be just and right for her, Emily Watson of course will always have her role in Lars Von Triers Breaking the Waves as a CV for her acting skills at there best. Other actors give out a above and below performance that lets the film to play out nicely.

A captain capture two of the brothers of a gang who have gone have a warrant for there arrest after they killed, murdered, raped and pillaged a family that are not detail in the film, but they are called Hopkins occasionally. He makes them a prostitution that he will hold the youngest of the two, Mikey helpless young and needy, while the older will go and find his other brother to bring him in, Charlie played by Guy Pearce like Clint Eastwood's legendary character Blondie, not much room for dialog, just that 800 yard stare. He reluctantly accepts the offer and set out to find his brother and his gang. Before leaving he pays respect in a quickly passing scene were he rides passed slowly the newly made grave's of the family that died, Hopkins. Later it is obvious it his dog-like brother who is the one who kills mercilessly with the help of his followers. A scene in the bar later in the film with the legendary British actor John Hurt, who professionally fills any space left in the film by Ray Winstone poorly played role, hopefully his years in the business will rub off on his counter parts. Hurt plays a bounty Hunter out for Charlie's brother. His introduction as a drunk is quickly covered by his hidden intellect as he has the best dialog in the film as he mentions how Darwin says they a decedent from apes, making a racial slur, that taps on the film many racially driven plot-lines.

A clever western set in turmoil days of Australia's early years that may have gone under the radar when it was released in 2005, but does show a well dressed and styled film with every scene in the film showing how dirty and infested the plain's of the desert were, greasy hair, dried blood and a lens filter or possibly lightening work that bounces back the grey-dull colors back with a stand out brightness while any dark colors like grit or meridian red blood lay on the screen like wet paint on a canvas. Its great make-up costumes and cinematography are not equal to all of its cast, while most stars in this film give it there best, I say it again Ray Whinstone scenes are boring, the film would be more interesting and have a better punchline if it cut his scenes from the film. They would have had a nice little short film that would played much like a silent film. But those scenes with Captain Stanley are important to the plot so a re-cast was in order.

An okay western with a effective, rough-painted canvas. A few blunt tools that needed replacing but it's meaning and and definitive solace ending makes it through, covered in blood and wounds- with a burning layer of sand and dust like salt to the wounds. I'm not saying it was all one actors fault, although I thought he was a bad choose, the film is not perfectly executed, especially with its cuts to and from the brothers losing itself between with each scene leaving behind a eager watcher to a boring scene from a good one. John Hurt is the most stand-out performance and his has a 20 minute screen time, years in acting makes great of old actors.