Australian Western has strong violence, swearing, racism.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Historic photos of dead bodies lying in wake. Gun fights, gunshot wounds, stabbing, whipping. Bloody injury detail and death. Character struck in face with blunt object and wounded. Another is stomped to death. Death threats. Native population shown kept in chains by colonial forces. References to rape and sexual violence. Dead animals with internal organs displayed. Character speared through shoulder. Reference to genocide and racial violence.
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Language used includes "f----r," "bastard," "s--t," "f---ing," "ass," "piss," "f--k," and "bloody." Racist language includes the "N" word and "Black" being used in a derogative manner.
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Character remarks on the value of a Christmas gift.
Diverse Representations
very little
The main cast is White and male, with some ethnic and gender diversity among the supporting cast. Set in the Australian Outback during the 19th century, characters display racist, colonial attitudes. Some discussion of trauma, repression and mental health.
The story centers around an illegal deal between an outlaw and a violent police officer. Characters resort to violence for their own survival.
Positive Role Models
none
Charlie Burns is a criminal but cares for his family. Captain Stanley enforces the law with brutal methods but is affectionate toward and protective of his wife.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Proposition is an excellent but also extremely violent Australian Western with strong language, including racist slurs. The film is set in the Australian Outback during the 19th century and revolves around a conflict between local law enforcement, led by Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone), and a criminal gang of brothers including Charlie played by Guy Pearce. The overall tone is bleak and unrelenting. Although various characters do show the capacity to care for others they are also incredibly violent and ruthless. Characters are killed in graphic sequences by gunshot wounds, stabbings, and beatings. One character is whipped until his back is bloody and requires medical care, and there is reference to sexual violence. Characters use variations of "f--k" often, as well as the "N" word and "Black bastard" to discriminate the native population who they oppress. There is some non-sexual nudity, including aboriginal characters in traditional clothing, some of which are depicted in real-life archive photos from the period. Characters drink heavily as well as smoke cigarettes and cigars. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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.
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?
MPAA explanation:
strong grisly violence, and for language
Last updated:
October 3, 2023
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Alistair Lawrence
,
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