Director – John Hillcoat (Ghosts… of the Civil Dead, The Road)
Starring – Ray Winstone (Cold Mountain, Sweeney Todd), Guy Pearce (Memento, The Time Machine), and Emily Watson (Corpse Bride, Red Dragon)
Release Date – 2005
Rating – 4/5
Blu Release – 3.5/5
I grew up in a western household…mostly because my dad was a huge western fan and what his hateful ass said goes. He would watch any and every western he could get his hands on but he would make an exception to watch 70s and 80s action flicks if I pestered him enough. I never did catch on to the western fad but I did watch a few over the years that stuck out with me. Tombstone is one that I always find myself gravitating towards along with Young Guns.
A few years back I snagged The Proposition on DVD for cheap at Wal-Mart and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It had been some time since my last watch but when Umbrella Entertainment announced the blu release I was quick to jump on it. I want to thank UE for sending a review copy my way.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows the outlaw Charlie Burns (Pearce) of the Burns gang who finds himself captured by Captain Stanley (Winstone). Stanley offers Charlie a proposition. Charlie can bring in his older brother Arthur and their younger brother will not hang in 9 days. However, if he fails to bring in Arthur in that time then his younger brother will walk to the gallows. Charlie has no option but agree, however, he recruits Arthur and his gang to get his brother out of prison but things in town have since changed in Charlie’s absence resulting in more drastic changes happening among the brothers. **Spoiler Alert**
The Proposition is a fantastic western drama with one of the best casts I have ever witnessed along with a story that works extremely well. I’ve always been fascinated with the fact that this one was written by Nick Cave and directed by John Hillcoat who also directed The Road. The is one of the most underrated westerns and a film that I highly recommend to any movie fan regardless of their preferred genre.
The acting in this one is absolutely amazing. Not only does Pearce, Watson, and Winstone deliver unforgettable performances but we also get performances from Danny Huston, John Hurt, Noah Taylor, and many more that deserve recognition. This cast seriously delivers and the characters stick with you days after watching it. The story for this one is pretty straight forward western set against the backdrop of the Australian outback. The character development is unlike any movie I had seen before and when you mix that with the simple yet unpredictable story you find yourself pulled in and unable to let go. The movie is a literal roller coaster with a lot of ups and downs with an ending that I was not expecting.
Finally, the film has some blood with minimal practical effects and some CGI that really impressed me. One scene in particular looked really well. It’s a great headshot that really stood out from the rest of the film. Overall, The Proposition is a gritty and violent Australian western that is dangerously underrated. This release from Umbrella should be on everyone’s must own list. Snag it because you will not be disappointed.
Special Features:
Making of Featurette
Inside The Proposition – Featurettes
Audio Interview with Costume designer Margot Wilson
Audio Interview with Soundtrack Composer Warren Ellis
Deleted Scenes
Stills Gallery
I too love the movie the proposition. I specially love the Extreme level of violence committed by both the good guys and the bad guys which goes beyond any American Western I’ve ever seen.
When the two Burns brothers are captured at the beginning of the movie, a number of aboriginal women who are living with the outlaw gang are killed in the gunfire of the good guys. The good guys act as though that’s completely acceptable. Later on a posse massacres a family of aborigines, killing all the men women and children.
Bryce