PERFORMANCE PERSPECTIVES

"The Proposition"

FLIRTING WITH STORY.

The Proposition is a worthy film. It deals with Australian history in a way we aren’t used to. It is also epic in content. The reviewers reflect this …

“a gritty, believable story of brotherly love, betrayal and redemption, and the temptation into the degradation of revenge that is the consequence of violence.” REVIEW BY AVRIL CARRUTHERS - infilm Australia

“it is gauged toward exploring the drives and vulnerabilities of characters in desperate environs, interweaving themes of love, protection, and tenderness amongst violence, moral conflict, and redemption.” REVIEW BY: MATT JONES & KRIS ALLISON - Stylus

"a number universal themes, such as brotherhood, trust, and betrayal, and with more specific cultural and historical concerns, such as the violence, anarchy, and genocidal racism that are inherent in colonisation in general and the British colonisation of Australia in particular.” BY MATTHEW CLAYFIELD

"a ruthlessly biblical script by Nick Cave, is thus a defining moment in Australian mythology." JONATHAN DAWSON, ABC.

Worthwhile Stuff
The impression given by this collection of views is that this film is dealing with serious stuff. And it is. Further more it is clearly refreshing to see an Australian film that does explore these issues. But what isn’t clear is whether some stuff is more important than other stuff. Is this a film about redemption, genocidal racism, moral conscience or brotherly love? It is certainly “gauged toward exploring” such stuff but in the end it doesn’t. The final line in the movie “So, what do you do now?” never receives an answer. Is this suggesting that most of the choices made to this point were without real reason? There seems to be some uncertainty as to exactly why this tale needs to be told.

There are a lot of plot or story related events in this film, many of them quite violent. But what is never plain is whom we should be identifying with and why we should be watching. As we never really go on the journey with any of the characters we remain distant observers. Despite some good performances in this film we don’t end up caring for the outcome or any of the characters.

What of the acting?
GUY PIERCE is convincingly biblical. (He is a very capable actor)
EMILY WATSON is impeccably consistent as the moral but loyal wife.
DAVID GULPILIL and TOMMY LEWIS are comfortably real.

But many of the others get caught out at one stage or another because the only consistent story element that they can hang on to is that ‘this is serious stuff’. When actors are trying to deal with a scene because it is important then believability is frequently lost. Story is the reason that connects all the events in a film. And the element that makes a story clear is the reason for which it is being told.

The Proposition illustrates that many excellent reasons for telling a story are not quite as useful as ONE good one.

January 2006

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