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SUNDANCE 2007
Somebodies
"The Proposition" by Zack Roddy
This John Hillcoat directed drama/western was written by former Australian rock-star Nick Cave, and stars Guy Pearce.
Supporting actors include David Wenham, Richard Wilson, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, and Danny Huston. Set in the
Australian Outback in the 1880s, The Proposition begins with the capture of Charlie Burns (Pearce) and 14-year-old Mikey Burns
(Wilson) by Captain Stanley (Winstone). Blamed for the savage rape and murder of a pioneer family in their small western town,
Stanley offers Charlie a proposition: Charlie must kill his older brother, psychopath Arthur Burns (who Stanley really believes is
responsible for the crime) or Mikey will be hung until dead on Christmas day. Having only nine days to complete his task, Charlie
rides out over the vast Australian Outback, searching for Arthur (Huston). Meanwhile, back in the town, the richest man in town,
Eden Fletcher (Wenham), learns of the proposition, and vows to take revenge on the Burns brothers, even if that means doing something
awful to Mikey. Now Charlie must make a choice, Mikey or Arthur?
The Proposition a triumph. From the very first frame of the film, you can tell that Hillcoat deeply cares for and respects the genre.
The camerawork is crisp, and the score (written in part by Cave) does something odd for a western set in the 1880s: it features rock and roll.
Although eccentric, it is not altogether bad; the rock fits like a glove the movie. Cave's script also boasts exquisite dialogue, and all of the
characters are well rounded and complex, with stunning performances from Pearce, Huston, and Winstone. And for all western fans looking
for a shoot out, The Proposition does not disappoint.
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