InsidePulse Review – The Proposition

Directed by
John Hillcoat

Starring
Guy Pearce……….Charlie Burns
Ray Winstone……….Captain Stanley
Danny Huston……….Arthur Burns
Richard Wilson……….Mike Burns
Emily Watson……….Martha Stanley
John Hurt……….Jellon Lamb
Tom Budge……….Samuel Stote

First Look Pictures Releasing presents The Proposition. Written by Nick Cave. Running time: 104 minutes. Rated R for strong grisly violence, and for language.

If you take a look at the all the films released over the past few years you’ll see that westerns aren’t exactly in high demand by audiences. Then at the end of last year Tommy Lee Jones’ The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada came out and made people realize that perhaps the genre might be on an upswing, all it needed was talented writers and directors to breath new life in to it. Well, The Proposition may just be the film to get people talking again.

Set up as an Australian western in the late 19th century The Proposition kicks off with us being thrown in to a shoot out, we have no clue who we’re with, but what’s clear is they’re on the losing side to this battle. Light beaming in through the bullet hole ridden walls and people taking injury it’s only a matter of time before whom ever is outside makes their way in. With the gun fire silenced and being taken over by the buzzing of flies we realize the fight is over, the people inside are either dead or restrained. Captain Stanley is sitting in the room opposite a table with Charlie and Mike Burns, two of the three Burns brothers and a part of the Burns gang who the Captain was hunting down for the murder and rape of the Hilcock family.

Stanley was brought in from England to help expunge the area of the outlaws and bring law and civility to the people. To do that he realizes he needs to make it known that he’s there to do business which involves going after the top dog of the outlaws, Arthur Burns, a man who is nearly myth when you list all that he’s done. Stanley knows that Charlie and Mike weren’t a part of it but will use them to get what he wants and that’s Arthur who he believes was in fact behind the sleighing. More importantly though, is that he see’s Arthur as a way to set an example to all those who want to try and destroy his town, by showing them even the best can be taken down under his management.

The sentence for the offense is execution, Captain Stanley makes it known that with his powers he plans to move the date up to Christmas morning which is a mere nine days away. Charlie makes note that the Captain doesn’t have the authority to order such a thing be he realizes that Stanley will do what ever it takes for him to do his duty. Stanley offers up a proposition to Charlie, if he manages to locate and kill his older brother Arthur who has been wanted by the law for a long time then he and his brother Mike will receive a full pardon. Stanley knows the two had nothing to do with the murders but he’s a smart and cunning man who knows Charlie will do what ever it takes to protect his little brother. So in essence he’s recruiting him to do his dirty work. Now with only a gun, a horse and the location of his brother, Charlie has nine days or else it’s Mike’s life.

Filmed in the Australian outback director John Hillcoat captures the beauty and despair of the country that’s trying to transition from the The bushranger era to modern times with his camera work which is heightened by the films grand yet simple score. The violence in this film has been the most talked about aspect but compared to some of todays films it’s not entirely bad and can be argued by many that the statement is being over blown. Yes there are scenes that are painful to watch but what director Hillcoat does is edit them as tastefully as possible.

Characters presented here are all flawed, it goes back to the Wild Bunch days of not being given much reason to cheer for anybody. Ray Winstone’s Captain Stanley lets a known felon go in hopes that it leads to more important matters, yet he knows that with Mike in his charge it could all back fire on him where Charlie and Arthur band up to rescue their younger sibling. Leaving him on edge the entire movie with paranoia building. Guy Pearce’s Charlie is left with the task of having to shoot his own flesh and blood, while Arthur rattles on about how family is the only true thing people have on this earth. Both men compliment each other as they each fight their personal demons in hopes that what they do will bring some good.

Covering such subjects as family, loyalty, honor and duty, The proposition while visually disturbing at times and at others jaw droppingly brilliant is a high point to what has been, with the exception of a handful of titles, a year devoid of quality films. While it probably won’t be the film to cause a resurgence of the good ol’ days of outlaws with six shooters that ride off in to the sunset on horse back, The proposition is a film that directors like Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah would be proud of.