The Proposition DVD Review

"The Proposition" reviews

DVD

The Proposition

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-07-18 15:41:26

Provider

DVD Review

Nick Cave has proven himself more versatile than most rock stars, with a novel and screenplay to his name already. Now he re-teams with John Hillcoat for an ambitious movie set in the early days of British colonisation of Australia, that combines themes of family betrayal with echoes of Apocalypse Now and the good ol' American western.

It stars Guy Pearce as Charlie, one of three bushranger brothers. He and sibling Mikey (Richard Wilson) are arrested for the murder of a family, prompting the suitably ogreish Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) to threaten to execute Mikey if Charlie doesn't track down and kill his other brother Arthur (Danny Huston). It's here that the parallels to Coppola's confused Vietnam epic emerge: with Charlie as Willard and Arthur as the laconic, enigmatic Kurtz. Arthur is now living with the natives and prone to spouting impenetrable philosophical ramblings and dreadful poetry.

Stanley's a more complex and sympathetic character than our introduction to him suggests. With his wife (played by Emily Watson) they're set on ensuring there's a corner of Australia that's forever England and determined to bring civilisation to this apparent hellhole. The Proposition explodes into violence at regular intervals, though even the most gory scenes aren't as stomach-churning as the flies that buzz interminably around the actors' heads in unbelievable numbers.

A film that's fairly typical Cave, laced with dry humour, and shocking brutality. Though it falls someway short of its aspirations, it remains a most convincing movie about a fascinating and undertold period in Australian history.

Includes interviews with Guy Pearce and Danny Husto, other cast and crew members and a making of featurette.