The Proposition

I like Westerns. I love how John Ford (Director) could frame a shot using the mountains in the background and the lone countryside down below. While not responsible for the success of actors such as John Wayne, Henry Fonda and James Stewart, Ford certainly enhanced their careers and made them better actors.

John Ford has been dead for over 30 years now and the only person who seems to have followed in his footsteps is Clint Eastwood.

That has changed with a film from Australia from Director, John Hillcoat, and writer, Nick Cave, called the Proposition. The western has evolved over the years. The hero is not always a hero and he certainly doesn't look like he just had a bath and his clothes are clean and freshly pressed. In fact the cinematography for the Proposition is so phenomenal that you as the audience want to swat the flies away from your face. The countryside is stark and dry; you can feel the heat permeate from the screen.

In the Proposition, Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) is forced to choose between his older brother, Arthur (Danny Houston), and his younger brother, Mikey (Richard Wilson) by the local law and order Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone).

Go see the Proposition (except for Lulu because it will be too violent for you). It is a really good film (very violent and gory at times but come on it's a Western). It has a superb cast including the above names as well as Emily Watson and John Hurt. Ray Winstone is a very underrated actor and without him the film would not have the same punch - because you sympathize as much for his character as you do Guy Pearce's character. As I said the cinematography is divine and the script is just the right length.

Keep supporting independent movies... or soon we will only have the Supermans, the Devil Wears Prada, or the DaVinci Code and no other choices.