The Proposition

This is truly diabolical, a hideous embarrassment, shame on all involved. The performances are rigid, the direction stagey and wooden, the scenery wasted, the action risible, the sexual chemistry non-existant. This is almost so bad it's funny, but definitely not worth the time it takes, which is only 90 minutes, but seems like eternity.

this film was both riviting and exciting, an edge of your seat thrill ride. The directing was notably beautiful and the acting, nothing but sincere. i definatly recomend this film to people everywhere expecting an amaginative story, amazing film making, and exquisit scenery.

I just watched this film on Amazon Freevee, and it really isn't bad. It's a distinctive period drama set in Wales circa 1800.

Perhaps some of the reason for low ratings/negative reviews on IMDB is that The Proposition has a very retro feel even for a 1990s film. It's retro both in terms of the cinematography and also some overdramtized scenes or clichéd plot elements. None of these spoil the movie in my opinion.

If you can get past that, it's deffinitly an entertaining and enjoyable film to watch.

Another point of confusion is that there are several other films with the same title made within a decade of this one. IMDB even has the wrong trailer posted for with this film.

A lot of movies are so bad they're good. This is not one of them. The brief summary in TV Guide suggested to me that this would be a comedy-western. Western England, maybe. A comedy, definitely not. A drunk does lead a cattle drive for some women who are told women shouldn't be able to do that sort of thing. That concept sounded appealing but never developed the way I would have liked. This movie would likely appeal to the sort of people who liked 'Wuthering Heights.' There is action violence, which might please some people, but in and of itself it didn't do anything for me. A wasted two hours.

I know that any kind of story that seems more like a romance novel come to life is not going to be an Oscar winner. But sometimes a girl (or boy) gets in the mood for a cinematic box of chocolates. The Proposition would have fit this bill just fine if it weren't for two glaring mistakes.

1. Theresa Russell. Boy oh boy, what a terrible casting mistake. She's good in other roles that are more intense, but in this one her dramatic presence was overexaggerated. She delivered her lines like a drag queen > dramatic eyebrow lifts and over-emphatic one liners. Yuck!

2. The sex scene. It was too much lust. Lust is great, it's realistic...but only in the right vehicle. This scene would have been great in an independent or artsy film...but in a kinder, fluffier film like Proposition: less would have been so much more.

The best part of this movie was Patrick Bergen. Oh well, there's always Lifetime. LOL