The Proposition review

 Number 824 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 2005 Australian Western 'The Proposition.'

Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) is the leader of a group of outlaws in 1880's Australia. After a gunfight with the police leaves all but he and his younger brother Mike (Richard Wilson) dead, Captain Stanley (Ray Winston) makes Charlie a proposition. Bring his older brother Arthur (Danny Huston) to justice or watch his younger brother Mike be executed.

This is an Australian film, filmed in Queensland, directed by Brisbanian John Hillcoat, written by singer and fellow Aussie Nick Cave and starring Geelong actor Guy Pearce. Just so we're clear, this film was set in Australia, directed by an Australian, written by an Australian and starring an Australian, so why did none of the principle cast have Australian accents? Guy Pearce and Danny Huston are Irish, for some reason. Meanwhile, Ray Winston, Emily Watson and John Hurt all use their native English accents.

The Western is such an Australian genre that it was a brave stylistic choice to relocate it to Australia even though there is no reason why it shouldn't work. However, this was a countermanded by the lack of Australian accents. It was a weird choice that didn't make sense.

However, the film's true weakness was its pacing. Some scenes dragged while others were rushed. The Proposition had some serious sagging middle-part syndrome. Charlie agrees to Captain Stanley's proposition and he goes to search for Arthur. Arthur finds him first and any narrative momentum just stops. Instead, the two exchange barbs, as we are introduced to the interchangeable members of Arthur's gang. 

The two then break Mike out of prison which is where Hillcoat started overcompensating for the sluggish middle with a rushed prison-break. The slow parts were too slow and the fast parts were too fast.

It didn't help that the actors lacked chemistry with one another. I had a hard time believing that Ray Winston and Emily Watson were husband and wife. Richard Wilson isn't afforded a single scene with Danny Huston. Plus, in his scenes, with Guy Pearce, he did little else but cry and whimper. That was it. We didn't get to see the two act like brothers.

Granted the Proposition had some gorgeous cinematography - it failed as a subversion of the Western genre with its cowboys and Indians being transplanted to Australia. It was mired by weird accents and poor pacing.