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There are many reasons to love The Proposition](The Proposition (2006) - Movie | Moviefone). It’s written and scored by the irreplaceable Nick Cave. It’s perfectly directed by John Hillcoat. It’s both thrilling and strenuous on the heart. And above all else – it’s wonderfully cast, from the monologue-delivering John Hurt to the sadistic charm of Danny Huston’s Arthur Burns.
While I appreciated Huston’s work well before he headed for the dry grime of the Outback in the 1880s, his stint as the violent sociopath jettisoned him to a whole new level. What was so great about his performance is that while he maintained some of the exuberant charm he’s known for, Huston used it as a way to balance the truly sadistic aspects of his character. Without a doubt, Arthur Burns is a dangerous man who does terrible things – and Huston plays it perfectly – but that little edge of charm gives the character more depth than is usually awarded to the character we’re set up to hate.