Film Review: The Proposition

"mean and moody, and erm Irish... in this film at least"

The Proposition (18)
Dir. John Hillcoat

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Welcome to the lawless Australian Outback, it’s 1880 and there’s serious trouble brewing…
WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE – The ‘Burns’ Gang (that's Guy Pearce as coolest brother Charlie, Richard Wilson as youngest brother Mikey and big bad eldest brother Danny Huston who plays his character of Arthur like some Zen-like shaman outlaw, content to stare out at the massive outback day or night in contemplation… when not murdering, raping and generally misbehaving).
Step up Captain Stanley (a career best role for Ray Winstone), he’s the lawman tasked with bringing in the baddie Burn’ess and almost as soon as the scene setting credits have rolled, he’s managed to bag Charlie and Mikey… But of course it’s Arthur who he’s after so he gives Charlie the proposition of the title: for a pardon for himself and to save young Mikey from the hanging on Christmas Day, he must take out his older brother…
As the stylish poster tag line says: 3 Brothers, 1 must live, 1 must die, 1 must choose…

This is a heavy duty western (no Brokebacking to be found) and the cast is excellent, the ‘always cool’ Emily Watson is great as Stanley's wife Martha and I also loved John Hurt’s cameo as a vicious but well educated bounty hunter ‘Jellon Lamb’.

Written by the Aussie croner Nick Cave, this is a must see film for anyone who likes the semi-mystical side of Westerns and can stomach a serious amount of evil doing and gore… Empire gave it 4 stars and called it “Brutal, bloody and brilliant, this is superior filmmaking, and more evidence of the renaissance of the Australian film industry.” The BBC chip in with “exhausting and exhilarating; the film hugely entertaining and troubling. Watch it. Then watch it again.”

Darkmatt Rating: öööö (I loved it)


"so Bro... shall I just kill you now like?"

Darkmatters: H O ME