Name Discs
The Proposition
18 Feature

DVD Information

Run time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Rental release: 10 Jul 2006
Main languages: English
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LOVEFiLM Review The Proposition

  • 4 stars out of 5  

    By Tom Charity from LOVEFiLM

    The Proposition begins with a bang...

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Most helpful review The Proposition

  • Please, it's not a western

    Rated - 4.0 stars  
    By Slurs from Scotland , 10 Dec 2008

    [Highly rated reviewer]

    Men with big hats and guns do not a western make, and whilst long shots of weather-beaten faces may conjure up memories of Sergio Leone, The Proposition is far grimmer than anything he ever made. Yes, it moves slowly, but that just serves to heighten the repression and frustration of Ray Winston as he misguidedly tries to impose the English country idyll onto a bleak, uncaring and hostile landscape already ravaged by the early brutally disorganised steps of British colonialism.

    Watch it - be frustrated by everyone's inability to communicate, be horrified by the brutality and the gore, and be stunned by the scenery, but watch it.
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All reviews

(119)
  • A slow-burner, but well worth watching

    Rated - 4.0 stars  
    By a customer , 10 May 2013
    Much better than I thought it would be - a nicely-paced (although some may find it slow) film with a gritty, but probably realistic, portrayal of 19th century Australia. The casting was good, and characters reflected the troubled times - yes, it has English actors, but Australia was very much a British colony at the time; and the Irish are indeed villains, but that was more a product of their desperate struggle for survival - many thousands had fled Ireland for a better life in Australia, but many found it even tougher to survive 'down under'. The brutal treatment of aboriginal people was also touched upon, and this was also handled well. This was one of Ray Winstone's better performances, I thought - more low-key than usual, but very effective and engaging. Emily Watson was excellent as his long-suffering wife, but the entire cast performed well - even those Aussies pretending to be English ;-)
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  • Confused, unnecessarily violent and overly self important

    Rated - 2.0 stars  
    By Cashplays (46 reviews) , 18 Apr 2013
    Very nasty, morally questionable and just plain annoying! Why set a film in Australia and have half the characters Brits and the main villains Irish? Guy Pearce is Australian for pity's sake!! And David Wenham has the most absurdly camp upper class Brit' accent ever! Add to that the fact that everybody in this film is guilty of something horrible thus making the revenge element redundant and you get a very confused film. It all makes for a disappointing experience of what could have been a really good film. Not a terrible film just disappointing.
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  • Authentic and well crafted

    Rated - 4.5 stars  
    By NDT (3 reviews) , 09 Feb 2013
    An inventive, original western that defies formula throughout. Each character is a fully rounded human being complete with flaws and qualities alike and the viewer is never patronised by having any black/white good/bad actions played out in front of them. Indeed this film has no real heroes, and no real villains. One to watch when you have the time and attention to really invest in a film.
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  • Never mind

    Rated - 1.0 star  
    By a customer , 27 Jan 2013
    Go do the ironing - beautiful scenery but hopeless story. Far too slow going a bit like this review which is far too long.
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  • potential inside a daydream

    Rated - 2.5 stars  
    By kerberos (2 reviews) , 16 Sep 2012
    story line is everywhere and doesnt really come into itself until the end, its a shame it couldnt be a bit more gritty with some more action. couldve been a good film.
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