Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Australian Western has strong violence, swearing, racism.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Proposition
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE PROPOSITION, gang member Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) is forced to hunt down his brother by a violent police captain (Ray Winstone).
Is It Any Good?
An unrelenting cycle of violence is what powers this stark but stylish period piece from the pen of Australian musical icon Nick Cave. Set in his native Australia during the 1880s, The Proposition is essentially the story of two men driven to breaking point while pitted against each other on opposing sides of the law. Both Pearce and Winstone are excellent as an outlaw and a police captain who strike an unlikely bargain. The movie's sunburned and anarchic setting creates a memorable atmosphere that sticks to the screen as much as it does its leads' matted hair and filthy clothes. Such a grim, uncompromising approach to portraying a brutal period of history admittedly robs the film of some momentum in places. The traditional Western cliches are done away with, too. There are no clearly defined heroes or villains here, only an increasingly desperate group of people fighting for survival and sanity across a blood-soaked landscape, with "civilization" referred to as a promise yet unfulfilled.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in The Proposition. Did you find it scary? How did it shape the worldview of the characters? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Discuss the movie's period setting. How much do you know about Australia in the 1880s? How were the attitudes the White settlers displayed to the native population similar to what you've seen in other movies? How to talk with kids about racism and racial violence.
Talk about the strong language used in the movie. What did it contribute to the movie? Is a certain kind of language expected in a movie like this?
How was drinking and smoking depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? Why does that matter?
How did this Western differ from others that you've seen? What is iconic about the genre?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 9, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : May 23, 2017
- Cast : Ray Winstone , Guy Pearce , Emily Watson , Danny Huston
- Director : John Hillcoat
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : First Look International
- Genre : Western
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong grisly violence, and for language
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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