On I List of Movie Reviews
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Indecent Proposal (1993)
Rate:
7
Viewed:
10/03, 3/08, 6/21
3/08:
When Indecent Proposal first came out in 1993, it quickly became all the rage, shocking many people about the idea
of such thing.
Now, it seems so tame that many won't mind doing it for the money. Sadly, the movie is cheesy and
is more problematic when it comes to the "gas." Thanks to the can't-fail premise, the first half has a great amount
of energy. When the second comes, the movie sputters often like an engine that refuses to die. The ending is weak because
real human emotion has become too complicated for the filmmakers to tackle.
Mainly, Indecent Proposal is about the silly, trivial arguments between David and Diana and lots of
The Great Gatsby
stuff from John Gage. As matter of fact, when Robert Redford uttered the line, "He killed somebody once," I really thought he
was going to start saying "old sport" again. Instead, he has ten-dollar one-liners which make his character look more
ridiculous.
Demi Moore is okay, but her part is a typical failed attempt to achieve "seriousness" and "vulnerability." It's been a
consistent theme during her career. Woody Harrelson is Woody Harrelson who looks ready to get back behind the bar. The
sight of his face, after hearing John Gage is a "fucking stallion," is comical.
All in all, I admit Indecent Proposal has a good thing going for it, but that's literally all the movie has.
6/21:
Indecent Proposal has aged well by now.
The premise is literally everything, and it's very good. Back then, Indecent Proposal was a major
hit of the year, and nobody could stop talking about it. Almost all thought the proposal was actually decent. A million
dollars for one night? Hey, it's a no-brainer.
Demi Moore had been a terrible actress with no sex appeal for years because she couldn't make herself believable for the least
bit. But in Indecent Proposal, she's a lot better, finally getting into her character. Woody Harrelson is superb, but
Robert Redford is the most perfect casting choice. There's a lot of Jay Gatsby in him, too. And yes, that's Billy Bob
Thornton talking to Woody at the casino.
The movie moves well, but there's a corny stretch here and there and the ending is weak. It's hard to believe David
is cool with Diana the second time around given that he went crazy about one night of sex and she was seen
afterwards having a great time with John Gage at expensive places. The reality is, instead of a woman, John viewed Diana
as an objet d'art just like his vast collection of acquisitions.
All in all, it only takes a goldmine premise to make a movie, and that's how it happened for Indecent Proposal.