The Proposition was released on September 12th, 2005. It is directed by John Hillcoat and written by Nick Cave. In it Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce), an outlaw wanted for rape and murder, is taken prisoner by the Australian police who make Burns an offer, giving him nine days to track down and kill his older brother (played by Danny Huston) before his kid brother Mikey (Richard Wilson) is hanged. If he does this the police captain (Ray Winstone) promises to set he and Mikey free.
The Proposition is a bleak, violent western. It presents a dangerous, seemingly forsaken world and the characters are pessimistic and immoral, almost to a fault. Charlie Burns is something of an enigma through much of the film. He clearly cares, deeply, about Mikey, and is willing to do whatever it takes to save him. Yet, when he catches up with Arthur, he hesitates to kill him. The film is pretty short on exposition, and it's never made explicit what the brothers relationship is or why exactly they parted ways.
Arthur himself is a man of contradictions. He is deeply loyal to his brothers and to the other members of his gang his "family" as he continually says. He also has a love for nature and enjoys looking up at the stars at night. Yet he is a merciless and brutal murderer, eager, it seems, to deal out torture, rape, and death if someone threatens he or his family. Arthur's companions, Samuel (Tom Budge) and Two Bob (Tom E. Lewis) are equally bloodthirsty, but without Arthur's sense of sophistication or loyalty. Mike meanwhile is a scared child, barely able to form a coherent sentence.
On the other side of the law you have the policemen, who are brutal, lecherous and ultimately, cowardly. Pulling the strings is Eden Fletcher (David Wenham), a corrupt, hypocritical official who maintains a pretense of civility and righteousness. Finally there's Jellon Lamb (John Hurt), a well read, racist, nihilistic bounty hunter who is also on Arthur's trail. Only Ray Winstone's Captain Stanley, along with his wife Martha (Emily Watson) offer a glimmer of decency.
Stanley desperately tries to bring peace and order to the lawless land he lives in. By offering the two brothers a chance for freedom, he hopes to give them a second chance believing, correctly, that Arthur is the real threat. He fails to take account of the loyalty Charlie still has to his brother and of the vindictiveness of the townsfolk particularly Fletcher, who want to see all three brothers killed for their crime. When they find out that he let Charlie go, they insist that he Mike be publicly flogged. Stanley tries to stop them but when Martha shows up at the jail, seeking justice for the rape and murder of her friend (who, we learn, was pregnant at the time), the captain relents and Mike is flogged within a inch of his life.
After witnessing this brutal beating, Martha deeply regrets her part in the whole affair and she and her Stanley eventually make up, but the damage is done. Once Charlie and Arthur find out about the flogging, they return to town to exact vengeance. After killing the guards at the prison, Arthur and Samuel go to the captain's house. Interrupting his Christmas dinner, they brutally beat him and them attempt to rape Martha while he watches. It's only here, in the final reel, that Charlie's true feelings emerge, as he puts
an end to his brother's evil deeds, deeds which seem to spiral into
endless cycles of violence.
Expertly directed by John Hillcoat
The Proposition features beautiful cinematography courtesy of Benoît Delhomme. The scenic landscape is contrasted with the brutality of the characters, emphasizing the indifference of nature to the fallen nature of man and amidst the corruption of society. Filled with dark poetry and moments of naked self-awareness, Nick Cave's script explores these themes with real gravity and pathos. The plot is a bit aimless at times though, given the complex and contradictory nature of the characters, I suspect that this was intentional. The performances are great all around, especially from Ray Winstone and Danny Huston.
The Proposition is a hard film to watch at times and is certainly not for the faint of heart. Nonetheless it is a rewarding experience for the discerning viewer.
Score: 9/10
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