The Proposition, 2005 - ★★★★

The Proposition, 2005 - ★★★★

REVIEWED



“He's right Samuel. A misanthrope is one who hates humanity.” - Arthur Burns (Danny Huston)



..:: Machismovision: Wow The West Was Fun - Film #7 ::..

Socially aware revisionist western from down under, that doesn't so much ask how many bullets you've got left in your barrel, but how many historical atrocities. Captain Stanley captures outlaw kin Charlie & Mikey Burns, two of the notorious Irish immigrant Burns brothers. Who are wanted in Australia on a slew of crimes against the crown including the rape and murder of a pregnant women. The captain knowing full well the brothers hes captured are only guilty by association, makes a proposition to Charlie - that if he returns in nine days with his elder brother Arthur dead or alive, both he and his younger brother Mike are free men.


I'd put this movie off for so long, the thought of Nic Cage making a western was hard for me to stomach... eesh sorry of course I knew it was gloomy musician turned gritty scriptwriter Nick Cave of the Bad Seeds fame and not the Cage we know and love from LA. To be honest I'm not sure why I've held off on this critically acclaimed modern western. Cave's script is amazing and thought provoking, and extremely cynical. All credit to director John Hillcoat & Cave it feels like its heading towards the obvious... but instead they digs the viewer a grave and instead of kicking you in head first (far too obvious), the story makes you sit around it looking into its abyss. The characterization & acting is perfect from the three brothers Guy Pearce, Richard Wilson, Danny Huston and even though I wouldn't have expected it from all the bloody EPL and World Cup betting ads hes been slumming it in lately Ray Winstone really shines. Likewise Emily Watson is great and best of all John Hurt as the not so big bigot (I didn't have the balls to use his quotes). Personally as much as I enjoyed it and for all the praise it rightly receives, I don't feel it holds a candle to great westerns of old, but its certainly a film with an enormous amount of power and soul.


[Personal Reasons For Remembering]

Firstly for getting a movie, that I wasn't expecting. The Rule Britannia scene giving me a lump in my throat at the line 'We will never be slaves' as it panned over vacant looking Aboriginal slaves.






Originally taken from Letterboxd

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