Review of The Proposition (2005) by Hatem A — 06 Jul 2011

3.5/4.0.

"The Proposition" is a rare mood piece Western. Australian director John Hillcoat makes a great mark with this movie, which has a unique melancholy feel (even with its unflinching violence) and portrays the ruthlessness of the Australian outback in the 1880s. A sometimes poetic script by musician Nick Cave adds to the success of the formula.

The movie centers on the ruthless Burns brothers gang who are wanted for the rape and murder of a family. Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) is given a unique proposition by Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) - he will let go of and acquit Charlie and his kid brother Mike (Richard Wilson) whom he takes in custody if Charlie kills his older brother Arthur (Danny Huston) whom Stanley believes is predominantly accountable for the gangs' acts. If Arthur is not brought back dead by Christmas day, young Mike will be hanged.

Charlie is a haunted soul (well portrayed by Pearce) - he drinks and seems like he is a dreamlike state as he goes to look for his older brother. On his journey, he encounters an old man called Jellon Lamb (John Hurt), a bounty hunter and one of the movie's many interesting characters. (OK so the movie could have done without him but he really doesn't hurt at all). And then we meet Arthur and I am kind of reminded by Marlon Brando's Colonel Kurtz from "Apocalypse Now". We hear of how ruthless he is with the aboriginals referring to him as the "Dog Man" but he seems too eloquent and poetic. Huston is surprisingly effective in a powerful yet somewhat brief turn.

But the beauty of the movie is that it is not a "quest" movie per se. The movie focuses probably as much on Captain Stanley, a seemingly ruthless man who is overshadowed by the violence he is surrounded by and has a big heart inside. A key element of the plot is his calm and sheltered housewife Martha (Emily Watson), a woman who strives to make the barren Australian outback livable. She dresses up, prepares nice dinners and makes their home seem "out-of-this-world" given the setting. Winstone probably delivers the movie's best performance striking the right (yet difficult) balance of subtlety and violence that his character needs.

The movie also gives audience good insight into the makings of life in the outbacks at the time particularly the unique dynamics between the Brits and the aboriginals without making it feel imposed. "The Proposition" is one of those movies that will stay with you long after you have seen it.