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| Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons in "The Power of the Dog" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
Out of all film genres, the one that may be the most iconic to the medium is the western. Not only do the films within this genre have an unparalleled grandness to them, but they also carry a sense of time that you don’t quite feel with other genres, in that you can see an era of America from decades and decades ago that has been explored in film countless times.
The latest addition comes from writer-director Jane Campion with her film, “The Power of the Dog,” a film which proves that, even in the 2020s, there’s still a wealth of stories to tell in the western genre.
Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his brother, George (Jesse Plemons), are the wealthy owners of a ranch in 1925 Montana. When George brings his new wife, Rose (Kirsten Dunst), and her son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), to live with him on the ranch, Phil will start to experience feelings that he didn’t know he had.
Cumberbatch provides a tense performance as the surly ranch owner who can make anyone nervous whenever he enters the room. There’s an understated ruthlessness to how he operates the property and demands respect from his peers, leaving the viewer on edge as you anticipate how he will interact with those around him, particularly Rose and Peter. However, as the film goes on, Cumberbatch shows the cracks that slowly form in his persona, exposing the true self underneath that he tries to hide, but might be wishing to be revealed. It’s a performance that has intriguing emotional layers that will pull you even further into his character later in the film and keep you hooked into where his arc will take you.
Dunst gives heartrending work as a woman who tries to protect her son from the roughness of Phil and the other cowboys, while also dealing with her personal demons. We see the psychological toll that Phil’s presence has on her as she tries to be a caring mother and wife, and Dunst exhibits the pain of someone who’s doing what she can to make the best of her new life, but is always looking over her shoulder to avoid Phil, who always seems to be just a few feet away.
Plemons gives a quiet, yet profound performance as an individual who’s the opposite of Phil, trying to be the peacekeeper between Phil and his new family. Plemons provides a presence that acts as a source of relief whenever he’s on screen because of how he gives his character a tone of voice that exudes reasonableness, which is much needed whenever he has to handle his brother’s uncouth attitude.
Smit-McPhee gives the type of performance where much of the impact comes in his facial expressions. We see an emotionally beaten-down individual who’s ridiculed by Phil and the other ranchers for not fitting in with them, all while attempting to get through his day-to-day life the way in which he wishes. Smit-McPhee gives a portrayal where we can sense the turmoil that’s hiding within his character, sometimes showing a pained stoicism of someone who doesn’t quite know how to present himself in front of others who view him as different.
The screenplay by Campion, which is based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name, allows the characters to develop with subtleties that immerse you in their arcs. The four main characters are constructed in such a way where it seems like they each have pains that are residing within them, but aren’t disclosing them right away. The narrative has us study these characters to see how outside factors are influencing the way in which they live and interact with others, and it’s always fascinating to see what will happen when their ideals clash.
Another neat aspect about the screenplay is how, despite being a western, it forgoes action set-pieces that we often associate with these movies, and instead focuses more on the characters and the drama that takes place among them. In terms of the narrative, this is a western that’s built on a smaller scale, offering a refreshing change of pace for how stories within this genre can be told.
This is Campion’s first directorial effort since her 2009 film, “Bright Star,” and she makes a majestic return as she captures the vastness of the Montana wilderness and utilizing it as a beautifully framed background for the intimacy of the story that’s being told. With cinematography by Ari Wegner, we’re given the expansive imagery of the open country that we’ve come to love from this genre, all while Campion builds tension amongst her ensemble and maintains a slow burn as we venture deeper into the hearts of Phil, Rose, George, and Peter.
Campion’s work here is a welcome addition to the gloriousness of westerns, and her commitment to using a sweeping backdrop to tell a character-driven story is what gives the movie its lasting power.
Grade: A
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