The Proposition

If you have not yet seen the film, there may be some spoilers in here for you! :O
Add line relating to the film, of what will happen if they have not seen the film

I would have seen the Proposition when it was showing at my local Odeon, though they were only showing it late at night for a week, so I missed my chance until our small cinema picked it up

Directed by John Hillcoat –Whom I have never heard of before; probably because he is Australian- Starring Guy Pearce (Charlie Burns), Ray Winstone (Captain Stanley), Emily Watson (Martha Stanley), Tom Budge (Samuel Stote), David Wenham (Eden Fletcher), John Hurt (Jellon Lamb), Richard Wilson (Mike Burns), Danny Huston (Arthur Burns)

The film pretty much followed both Captain Stanley (Winstone), and Charlie Burns (Pearce); of the burns gang as a resolution is sort after Captain Stanley offers Charlie a proposition that will save himself and his younger brother, Mike’s life; though giving him the remaining –and much more violent- members of the Burns gang.

One comment to Guy Pearce was just how famished he looked, after seeing him in Adventures of Priscilla which was made over ten years ago, he most definitely looks like a different person, still his performance as Charlie Burns was none-the-less decent  as was Ray Winstone. Danny Huston also shone out along with Emily Watson and John Hurt. Pretty much a good ensemble cast.

The soundtrack was great, something every western deserves is a fitting soundtrack; and Nick Cave got it just right, with the great backdrop of 1800s Australia alongside breathtakingly extraordinary landscapes gives the film a lasting appeal.

One big reason for me liking a film like the Proposition, is it’s setting; now I am not much of a Western fan, but that is really due to the thousands of John Wayne films; which, sorry but I find sort of boring. There are some Westerns: Destry Rides Again, Once Upon A Time in the West, Paleface (if it counts) and also (if it counts) Serenity, and currently I am only just getting into the Western genre, but moreover Spaghetti westerns are usually the most enjoyable, because the violence and action that follows them makes good cinema, and the Proposition’s gritty setting is just the sort of film that appeals to myself.
As I have already slightly mentioned, one other great point of the film, were the deserted landscapes that encompassed the film, never before have I seen such beautiful desolate horizons and authentic stifling heat in a film.

I must admit that it was a little slow in some parts, though this was usually accompanying breathtaking views, which you really cannot complain about, one problem I did have; which may or may not have been down to our cinema, but similarly with Breakfast on Pluto, it was a little hard at times to understand what people were saying… or perhaps I am not good at deciphering the Irish accent.

Well… hmm it was a good film, ranking pretty high, some gorgeous landscapes and interesting characters, I suppose I would recommend it to fans of Westerns, for this film is something of a new route of westerns, I not being much of a hardcore fan thoroughly enjoyed it, and would recommend to all.

Cptalbertwesker Rating – Orthodox 7/10
A nicely slow-paced western, strangely also receiving bad press, similar to that of A History of Violence and the countless other films I seem to be reviewing.