Film Review: The Proposition (2006) B

Date Viewed: 11/18/06
Venue: DVD

The Proposition is a character-driven, atmospheric western set in the wild, uncivilized Australian outback of the nineteenth century. A lawman (Ray Winstone) captures an outlaw (Guy Pearce-who still looks like someone should throw him a burger or something) and gives him nine days to kill his murderous older brother, or else his younger brother will be executed.

It's a simple tale written by Nick Cave (yeah, the musician Nick Cave), effectively told with strong performances by Winstone, Pearce, and Emily Watson (who plays Winstone's ever-patient wife). The film benefits from the beautifully bleak scenery of the Australian countryside (lots of flies in Australia...lots of flies) which matches the equally gritty and occasionally violent story. Even with the strong cast, Winstrone really sets himself apart as the lawman hellbent on civilizing the Aussie wilds.

The film's not perfect, Pearce's character and his motivations feel a tad underwritten (he spends a good chunk of the film unconscious), and one character's graphic comeuppance (which has been telegraphed the entire film) occurs mostly off screen, which smacks of being anticlimactic.

Despite those faults, The Proposition is worth seeing for its interesting performances and austere setting which easily lends itself to such a downbeat yarn. It's a simpler, grittier kind of character driven western for the twenty-first century.