joojoo3211

23 May 2012

It wasnt a great movie, but it entertained.

Only saw this movie late last night. I remember the hype of it'srelease and to be honest had I viewed it back then I maybe wouldn'thave been so generous. I hate hype, it can ruin a movie. I think themovie glossed over the characters and put too much emphasis on Woody.He was good too - although kept wondering if he was stoned the wholetime. It never went too deep. Redford was dark but not too dark and hischaracter let me down in the end. To me he should have been moreconfrontational with Demi - throwing her out perhaps or telling herthat she was paid for. After all he would have investigated them beforehe made the proposal - that's not shown in the movie, but no one in hisperceived position would have made an offer to just anyone. He wascruel to the point of breaking them up and the last straw was the houseand yet Demi fell for him? The passages giving an insight to Demi andWoody's relationship were the best part of the movie. There was a keendeepness that outshone the shallowness of John Gages character. Hereally could have been a lot stronger and as other people have alludedI think the movies draw-card was Redford and they didn't want tarnishhis "image". I say what the hell Robert was old in this movie! Woodyand Demi's characters were naive in a sense, but I think that was veryintentional to draw you to their plight and champion their decision.But the reality is, they were losing their dream home and where didthey go? Las Vegas? to gamble what little they had left and then accepta proposal from an insanely rich billionaire. I found their naivetywhen Redford was seducing them a little too unrealistic. The moviecould have been so much more and other actors would have made adifference, but having said that on late night TV - it was enjoyableand I if you don't think too much - also palatable

rezaul_nsu

23 May 2012

It is painful to see it under-rated!

I easily forget movie names, but not this movie ever, as it might go tomy instinct. Whenever I want to remember romantic movies, this moviecomes to my mind after 'Casablanca'.Anybody searching romantic and emotional movies should never miss'Indecent Proposal'. The dialogues are written very beautifully, asthis story is from a novel. The most positive side of this movie isthat it creates romantic emotions to viewer's minds. The world is goingtowards artificial things and we are forgetting true love. This moviebeautifully shows that true love is not purchasable and it should notbe sacrificed for anything else.Personally, I do not watch twice a movie because it seems to me thatsecond time watching of a movie might lessen my first feeling ofwatching. But, it seems to me that I cannot help watching this movietwice!

23 May 2012

One of the most entertaining morality plays

INDECENT PROPOSAL, along with THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves) are two of the most entertaining morality plays out there. The moral to the story, without needing to go into Christian theology or anything else is really simple: there's no such thing as a free lunch. I remember when the movie was out in the theatres and the many sound bite talk show people would ask guests and people on the street if they would do what the couple Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson did in the film; so many fools said "yes, in a heartbeat" and I wondered about the education system of our country! The line of the stylish Robert Redford when Demi Moore accused him (while slowly being seduced by him) of being a man "who likes to own things" summed up the whole movie: "You think I need to BUY women?" Redford, a man in this movie who as a billionaire has seen and caused the birth and death of multi-national corporations the size of ancient civilizations, knew EXACTLY what would happen to their marriage, and to their mind- and to her heart, if they knowingly accepted this proposal most indecent. He depended on THEIR arrogance and scoffing at the fragile nature of human relationships and the invisible architecture of the human soul; knowing, like every man (and woman) with a secret plan for another human being, that that would bring about the predictable but unexpected chain of outer events. The movie's most poignant turn, however, is when he reveals the road not taken in HIS life, with all his billions, and how that has generated much of his actions. Only then do we really discover under no uncertain terms what he wants, and what he is willing to do to get it. That really begins the falling domino of epiphanies that leads to the revealing of the gentle, fragile and beautiful hearts of all three of the characters, and the transcendent power of love, committment and surrender. It's a good guy/girl movie as well, because Woody Harrelson is so much the All-American man, full of rambunctious flaws and money problems (can't relate), where Robert Redford is, well, Robert Redford; he is the next best thing to Sean Connery's James Bond in this movie when it comes to the debonair, power- broker man the women couldn't resist if he had a 30k a year job, let alone making 30k every couple of hours. The testosterone is there. Combine that with the transformation of both of their characters because of the love of Demi Moore, who can play the dichotomous strong/weak women better than most of the Hollywood actresses out there still (if she would just take better scripts- aren't the bills paid sweetie?), and you've got more intelligent INNER action, romance and sympathy than you can shake a stick at.Worth owning. Ignore some of it's flaws (too miniscule to mention really; if you want CASABLANCA than buy that for Gawd sakes) and you'll have a great time with it- perhaps even learn something about yourself that you didn't know you knew.

RichHartford

22 May 2012

Interesting Premise That Turns Into Disaster

Indecent Proposal is a film, based on the novel of the same name byJack Engelhard about a handsome billionaire who offers a young couple$1 million to spend one night with his wife.It stars Robert Redford,Demi Moore, and Woody Harrelson.Adrian Lyne,the directs the film.In the storyline,Diana and David Murphy, high-school sweethearts whorecently got married.They are doing very well -- Diana is a successfulreal-estate agent, and David is an idealistic architect who has built adream house by the ocean -- until the recession hits. Suddenly, Davidloses his job, and they can't make the mortgage payments. Dead broke,they borrow $5000 from David's father and head to Las Vegas to try towin money to pay the mortgage on their house. At first, they get$25,000 ahead -- but inevitably the house always wins, and they end uplosing it all. While Diana is in the fancy casino boutique trying tolift some candy, she is spotted by billionaire John Gage, who isimmediately attracted to her. John invites Diana and David to anopulent party, and it is there that John offers David $1 million for anight with his wife. David is wrecked by this moral dilemma, but Dianafinally makes the decision on her own, with ensuing consequences fortheir ideal marriage and their bank account.The film has an interesting premise.Unfortunately,it turns into adisaster especially after in the events after Diana agrees to sleepwith billionaire,John Gage.Lyne's direction becomes formulaic andcontrived.The romances between the young couple loses focus and thebillionaire suddenly gives up in her interest to the attractive wife togive the story a happy ending.Too bad that the only positive note inthe ludicrous but commercially successful movie is the solidperformances from Redford,Moore and Harrelson.

Nebula

20 May 2012

Demi in decent proposed all!

Memorable acting of Demi. She was seemed to have proposed her fans to be spellbound! Excellent! What a beauty! Perhaps the movie world did not so far have more beautiful actress than Demi! Robert Redford was perfect choice. His poised acting raised the movie to a height. Thanks Robert.

20 May 2012

Is it the bad acting, the awful script, or both?

I'll keep it brief. It's trashy, almost physically painful to watch, and embarassing. It's so bad, that I'll even cast it among the ranks of Stargate and Independence Day, which at least had a few pan drippings of "fun," albeit the kind of idiotic fun you feel when you see a movie that should end up in Mystery Science Theater. Save your time and your bucks. Walk away from this dud. Quickly.

18 May 2012

ITS EVIL!

I think the point of this movie is how evil it is sell oneself for sex. Demi Moore's character is an evil harlot, her husband isn't very bright & Gage is evil too. But this movie is great at illustrating what happens when people fall for Satan's false promises so it's a very good movie. People like these characters that don't repent are going to hell!

18 May 2012

If you ever want something badly, let it go

Indecent Proposal is an example of a whole film based on one old joke. The joke is a man asks a woman if she will make love with him for a million dollars. "OK," she says. Then he says "how about five bucks and a candy bar?" "What kind of girl do you think I am," milady protests."We've already established that. Now we're haggling over price."Rim shot.But seriously, this is another score for director Adrian Lyne. I think this movie is often parodied, but only because it really struck a chord for the viewing public. It has achieved icon status. You could argue that the characters are two dimensional, cardboard cut-outs, but actually, they are fleshed out adequately enough to make this movie work. I like Demi Moore as Real Estate Agent Diana Murphy in this. She is kind of feisty, but then she can also be vulnerable. She made a very convincing Real Estate Agent, too. Woody Harrelson is a little harder to buy as an architect, but he made it work.Robert Redford as the millionaire John Gage was very good. He was sort of Trumpesque, but without the bizarre comb over. This role was similar to when he played The Great Gatsby, but instead of Daisy, he is after Diana, or Demi. When he first makes the Indecent Proposal to David and Diana he brings up an interesting point:---------------------John: Suppose... I were to offer you one million dollars for one night with your wife. David: I'd assume you're kidding. John: Let's pretend I'm not. What would you say? Diana: He'd tell you to go to hell. John: I didn't hear him. David: I'd tell you to go to hell. John: That's a reflex answer because you view the question as hypothetical. But let's say that there was real money backing it up. I'm not kidding. A million dollars. The night would come and go but the money could last a lifetime. Think of it. A million dollars. A lifetime of security... for one night. Don't answer right away. Just consider it; seriously? ===============================Indecent Proposal plays the hypothetical game of What If? well, stacking the deck, making it seem like a great deal, making it seem like an easy way out of all of your money problems. But just remember Murphy's Law, David Murphy: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Along with all the great architecture and real estate, look for cameos and supporting roles by Oliver Platt, Billy Bob Thornton, Rip Taylor, and Billy Connolly. Rip Taylor is a scream as Diana Moore's broker. John Gage really shows he has a lot of class when you see the pianist he has hired to serenade Diana. None other than Herbie Hancock! ---------------Diana: If you ever want something badly, let it go. If it comes back to you, then it's yours forever. If it doesn't, then it was never yours to begin with. ========================A Scanner Darkly (2006) .... Woody Harrelson was Ernie Luckman Play it to the Bone (1999) .... Woody Harrelson was Vince BoudreauStriptease (Unrated International Edition) (1996) .... Demi Moore was Erin Grant The Scarlet Letter (1995) .... Demi Moore was Hester Prynne Natural Born Killers (1994) .... Woody Harrelson was Mickey Knox Fatal Attraction (1987).... Directed by Adrian Lyne 9 1/2 Weeks (1986).... Directed by Adrian Lyne Flashdance (1983).... Directed by Adrian Lyne The Electric Horseman (1979) .... Robert Redford was Norman 'Sonny' Steele The Great Gatsby (1974) .... Robert Redford was Jay Gatsby------------------------Diana: The dress is for sale. I'm not. =============================

18 May 2012

Indecent Proposal

A struggling yuppie couple is offered $1,000,000 to let another man sleep with the wife. Adrian Lyne brings us a movie about a desperate couple in need of money. A millionaire offers the couple a million dollars for one night with the wife. This is a movie everyone seems to know about. Its a classic movie. The actors give great performance. I enjoyed it. Somethings are not for sale.

Walter Chaw

17 May 2012

Yes, it's true: in this astonishingly distasteful bit of dreck, there is at the bottom a sappy little romance.

Rockford_6

17 May 2012

Interesting but seriously flawed

INDECENT PROPOSAL is one of those formularized, supposedly heartfeltmovies told in one mess of a tale. It starts off with a couple (DemiMoore and Woody Harrelson) struggling to make ends meet and just asthey are about to drown in debt, they hit the jackpot in Vegas and thenlose all their winnings again. As they are about to hit rock bottom,Robert Redford, a multi-billionaire, comes into their lives to givethem a chance to get one million dollars. The catch: Redford "borrow"Woody's wife for one night. They agree, but this of course changes thecourse of their relationship forever. Woody Harrelson is truly miscastin a role too serious for him, making some scenes unintentionallyfunny. Yet the other two leads help keep this vechicle interesting.Despite the limited success of the script, it remains as a flawed butambitious work.

dcchris

16 May 2012

surprisingly enjoyable

I didn't think I'd like this movie at first, but it was surprisinglyenjoyable. It takes you through a wide range of emotions -- it upliftsyou,tears you down, resurrects you, rips you heart out again and slashes it ... and then somehow renews your faith in love, even after the fragility ofsuch has been exposed. I left my TV feeling strangely spiritual afterwatching it. I makes you want to hug the hell out of your significantotherand never let him or her out of your sight again.This movie isn't to be confused with Gone With the Wind or anything likethat, but I wasn't embarrassed in the least to have watched it. I enjoyeditthoroughly. But for the record, I wouldn't give Demi Moore up for $1million. But $2 million . . . hmmm . . . maybe the lawyer was right. Iwonder how Bruce Willis made out?

16 May 2012

Unexpected

This review is from: Indecent Proposal (DVD) I was put on to this movie by reading an email equating what the President did to Israel to Indecent Proposal. So, I watched Indecent Proposal and I thought the movie was very interesting. Pete

Dewhistle

16 May 2012

Revolting concept, more revolting reactions

It wasn't that this was a poorly made movie, or that the acting wasbad. It could have certainly made a good point but all it seems to havedone is stir the entire film-watching community into an unfathomabledilemma. To wonder whether you would do such a thing in suchcircumstances and not be sure you would not is appalling.The idea of the husband agreeing to it is sickening and hard to grasp,but his later inability to cope with the thought of it brings it backdown to earth. If a man managed to persuade himself of theinsignificance of his wife's having sex just once with another man,he's a fool and either doesn't care or must realize later he was wrong.This guy felt it come home to him as he surely must.And she was made to appear a sweet little self-sacrificing angel, whichbrings mixed feelings. He agreed to it initially and in theory had nobusiness treating her like a criminal. And yet, she went and carried itout, with no apparent suffering. Anyone with any real integrity,honesty, and well... morals, would surely have some trouble with this,unless they indeed found it alluring enough to overcome their scruples.That rich dude was also well-acted, but how creepy! Sexy he wasn't. Hewas a stalker, creeping around her everywhere she went and smuglybuying her life piece by piece as if it were all part of buying her. Iagree with those who said that the idea of his giving her up in the endwas a crock. That kind of narcissist doesn't let go once he has what hewants. But I also think he did need to be attractive (on the surfaceanyhow) because that was pivotal to the jealously of the idiot husbandand the uncertainty of the tart wife.This is on my list of movies that never should have been made. It wasone long "eew" moment for me and never once raised the question ofwhether I would. Believe it or not, there are some folks in the worldwho can see that it could never be worth it. Money can't buy back afilthy act. It's sad to see the morals of so many degraded to the pointthat they could even consider it.The rating of 5 stars is for the acting and the film quality.

15 May 2012

Twisted proposal

Really sick relationship, but here comes director Adrian Lyne again with another weird relationship movie, so what can you expect? A couple who really need money (Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson) agree to the sicko offer by wealthy Robert Redford to loan Demi to him for a while for a flat million bucks. The marriage falls to tatters, of course, but it's not Redford's fault. The success of the film turns on the director's ability to draw viewers in with a titillating tease and turn the experience into a provocative and thoughtful exploration of what makes a couple agree to such a thing. Interesting movie with a great cast.

Streetwolf

14 May 2012

Robert Redford saves this movie!

Summary: John Gage falls in love instantly when he sees the young realestate salesperson Diana smile at him as she is caught by him pinchingcandyfrom a store at a casino in Las Vegas. He admires her from a distance, asshe plays craps with her architect husband David, who are trying to getsomehard cash in order to pay off the rest of the money they owe on the landDavid has bought in order to build their dream house. When their luck runsout John asks David if he can borrow his wife, who suddenly turns John'sluck and wins him a million. As their friendship starts John quickly findsaway to make an offer to David, one John knows David can't deny. A milliondollars is offered for one night with Diana. David and Diana consider itputting their love on the test....The story had a good plot i will admit that, but the cast was terrible.Robert Redford was the only one decent enough to watch in the movie, I waseven able to find some goofs and the only few laughable moments are againwith Robert Redford, who is this perfect, handsome billionaire John Gage,any woman who has two eyes and a functioning brain would stick with himinstead of a loser like David played by Woody Harrelson. I still can'tunderstand why John would find Diana attractive, Demi Moore plays her rolewell yet it could have been done better. I gave this movie a 6 due mainlytothe charm of Redford. He is meant to be the bad guy, but you can't helpfalling for him!!

Eye-on-the-pie-in-the-sky

10 May 2012

The Salacious Sundance Kid Wants A Piece Of It

At once admirable and a gorgeous piece of trash is Adrian Lyne's"Indecent Proposal" (1993). Can I get an "amen" for affirming that Mr.Lyne is one of the best purveyors of cinematic relationship-angst?Indeed, his "Fatal Attraction" (1987) is one of the most horrifying andentertaining movies I've ever seen.David and Diana Murphy (Woody Harrelson and Demi Moorerespectively…obviously) are relatively new to matrimony but aredeliriously happy and have big plans for their future. David is anadept architect looking to complete his and his wife's dream house inSanta Monica. Diana is a realtor who pays the bills until the dream isfulfilled. Everything is going great: the blueprints and models havebeen constructed, the land bought and, of course, the California sun isperpetually shining through the smoggy haze. And then, fate deals thema moral and ethical blow. What leads up to this is an economicrecession in which Diana cannot sell a single piece of property andtheir current assets are in danger of being liquidated. In aspontaneous, desperate measure they both go to Sin City and attempt toraise enough money in order to keep their property and dream alive.They do good for the first night: they brought their original $5000 to$25,000 and celebrate the way all gambling couples do by convertingthat $25,000 into hard currency, throwing it on a Hilton bed andmoistly copulating on and around it. It was quite poeticallyphilosophical in evoking the notion that money has become theapotheosis of sexual lubricant.John Gage (Robert Redford) is a filthy rich womanizer who gets offplaying high-stakes blackjack and buying the unbuyable. He encountersthe babealicious Diana and immediately realizes that he has somethingnew to distract himself with. Through a complicated series of events hemakes the titular offer by exchanging one night with Diana for onemillion dollars. Quite instinctively, the couple are horrified andindignant. However, later that evening, Diana says that it would onlybe her body and not her mind or spirit that Gage will have. Afterdebating they agree to the proposal and so forth the conspicuous andfinanced affair goes.Afterward (did they…you know, do it?) Diana comes back and they boththink that this is something that can be put behind them as long asthey never talk about it. Well, David just can't live with that as alittle time goes by (could you?) and absolutely insists on finding outwhat happened that fateful evening. Diana eventually caves and saysthat there was sex and that it was fantastic. This doesn't mean thatshe doesn't love David anymore but David takes this a sign that shedoesn't love him anymore anyway (men are from Mars, after all). There'sa fallout, divorce papers and a bona-fide relationship that begins todevelop between Diana and John (he pursues, she relents, the cheetahgets the zebra). Yet after all this we get the super-duper mega happyending.The ending aside we get some interesting subtleties throughout thefilm. John Gage is urbane to the Wayne Newton degree and the couplecouldn't be less disingenuous and self-righteous than the RepublicanParty. There is a great deal of flirtation and insinuation that istruly riveting and, at times, quite plausible. However, if this werereal life, there's NO WAY the two would be as ultimately conciliatoryas they come to be by the end of the film. Call me provincial but, inmy eyes, the marriage covenant is inviolable and incapable of repairafter such a devastating blow.

Howlin Wolf

09 May 2012

Soul-less

This film takes important questions such as "What constitutes love foryour partner?" and "How important is sex in a relationship?", and treatsthem as glibly as if they were teledrama fodder. We never get the sensethat director Lyne has pondered the issues inherent in his material; he hasjust gathered some nice shots and spliced them together in the hope thatthey will create an absorbing movie. It's not without entertainment on asuperficial level, but this is generated more by how appallingly cliche thecharacters are than by any serious thematic exploration. Every second of itis pure Hollywood fantasy, not in an escapist sense, but by falselymasquerading itself as a drama; when it is plainly a comedy. The loving couple played by Harrelson and Moore never convince. Moorehad built a (now justifiably waning) career on the back of one hit movie("Ghost") and is almost insufferably whiny for the entire duration of themovie. Harrelson should have kept his acting limited firmly to being behindthe bar at "Cheers". Of the 3 principles, only Redford escapes from thiswith any credit; but even his performance lapses into something vaguelyreminiscent of "Swiss Tony" from "The Fast Show" ("Gambling is like makinglove to a beautiful woman for 1 million dollars...") As I said, not completely without entertainment value, but only if youtreat it as the exploitative trash it so patently is.

08 May 2012

A good start that stranded in the middle of the storm!

The spirit of the tragedy has been slow but progressively demolished and even confiscated since the XVII Century. Since these ages, the tragedy has suffered a visible process of perverse distortion, becoming just a moral lesson to follow. Jean Anouilh, Jean Paul Sartre, Joyce, Selma Lagerloff, Albert Camus, Fedor Dostoievsky, Eugene O Neill, Giovanni Papini, Ionesco, Beckett, William Faulkner, Ernst Hemingway, August Strindberg and Henrik Ibsen are weird exceptions, but in general terms, the cathartic experience derived from the tragic ethos, has vanished. So, if you dissect the tragedy into fragments of moral lessons, you just are telling a fable, but nothing else. You simply have frozen the wrath of Gods into hermeneutic pills, in order to satisfy the great audiences and so guarantee them, a final return to their respective homes. But the soul has not suffered the expected shock, and the spirit has not experienced the sharpness of the contrasts: long life to triviality. In the tragedy there are not good guys or bad guys; there' s no one absolutely innocent; the tragedy is the violation and transgression of a rule related with the cosmic order. It's impossible to understand in its wholeness, the force of its significance if you do not look it under the mythic coordinates. The film starts with an interesting dilemma to solve what if?. The corrosive and nasty feature represented by Redford , may be considered as the Devil' s embodiment. The proposal was made and accepted. But once the dramatic peak has been reached, one can feel how the film precipitates obstreperously, the expected reactions fall in a well know stereotyped cliche; she cries and is in shame; he looks arrogant but then the character becomes a marionette. A false redemption works out as the final launch, that will allow them to understand one each other and the forgiveness will hover about them.This material really did not deserve such predictable final. In hands of Robert van Akeren (The woman in flames), for instance the result would have been absolutely different; there is a lot of self indulgence not only for the characters and the audience in general.

Swambi

08 May 2012

Excellent - thought provoking

Surprised to see so many adverse comments.The film is well filmed, lots of clever, beautiful shots, captures theexcitement and depression of gambling and poses serious moralquestions. Such as, "Can anything be bought?," "What is the impact ofadultery on a relationship" and forgetting versus forgiving. I found the film entirely believable, and people's reactions very trueto life. Demi More's acting as "D" was outstanding, and Woody as Davidgood (especially lecturing on architecture)! Robert as John Gage wasrather intermittent. The labrador (dog) was good! Lawyer too!If you are interested in relationships, and thinking about seriousquestions, as well as good filming you should enjoy this.POSSIBLE SPOILER HERE: Downsides? Yes, what the others say about someof the inconsistencies and whether John Gage's sudden turnaround iscredible are true - but I only found this a small detraction from anexcellent and thought provoking film, which pictured the emptiness ofliving for money, and the strength of love.