Film Review: Indecent Proposal (1993)

Films that are popular or, to be more precise, commercially successful, don’t have to be good. Sometimes they can even be extraordinarily bad. One of the most glaring examples of the phenomenon can be found in Indecent Proposal, 1993 romantic drama directed by Adrian Lyne.

The film is based on the novel by Jack Engelhard. Protagonists, played by Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore, are David Murphy and his wife Diana. They found itself in dire financial situation and might lose their home. In desperation, they travel to Las Vegas in hopes they can obtain necessary money by gambling in casinos. They lose money, but in the process they catch attention of billionaire Jack Gage (played by Robert Redford). He offers them what seems like simple way out of their trouble. Murphy will get 1 million US$, but in exchange Diana must spend the night with the billionaire. Murphys, and especially Diana, are now faced with terrible moral dilemma and must choose between remaining destitute or losing their dignity.

At first glance, Indecent Proposal is just another “high concept” film Hollywood used to and, to certain degree, continues to churn out every day. The “high concept” in question, however, managed to infuriate the feminists and that, in the age of emerging “political correctness” reflected on critics which turned very hostile on the picture. But, the audience nevertheless flocked to the theatres, lured by the big names on the poster. Robert Redford, the biggest and most important name on the poster, was probably the most responsible for film’s initial success, but his casting at the end of the day sabotaged the very “high concept” behind the film. The idea of someone having to pay a million dollars to have sex with beautiful woman doesn’t make sense if that someone is played by an actor who not that long ago used to be biggest Hollywood star, ultimate sex symbol and someone who could sell millions of pillows with his face on it so that many American women can brag that they had “slept with Robert Redford”. Woody Harrelson, despite being quarter of century younger than Redford, is simply not attractive enough to be much of the competition for still attractive 1970s star.

So, Indecent Proposal fails from the very start. Its “high concept” is further damaged by terrible script by Amy Holden Jones which resolves the main plot point at the middle, so the audience is forced to endure almost entire hour watching Murphys suffer from the consequences of Diana’s rather predictable choice. Situation isn’t helped with Adrian Lyne’s direction that makes the film’s overlong or bad acting, especially in the case of Demi Moore which lacks any chemistry with Harrelson. Music score by John Barry and attractive cinematography by Howard Atherton doesn’t help either and only reminds the audience how good this film could have been with more capable or more inspired hands aboard. Indecent Proposal looks even less bearable if a viewer starts seeing that the film could have been even more effective with only few minor changes – like billionaire being played by someone like Danny DeVito, David being object of proposal or, like in the original novel, David being a Jew and billionaire being rich Arab sheikh. But those opportunities were ignored and Indecent Proposal deservedly won Razzie for Worst Picture.

RATING: 2/10 (-)

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