★★★1/2
Jane Champion’s “Power of the Dog” is a “slow burn”, but a rewarding watch. A film that is a “slow burn”, means not too much happens on screen, but you get the sense it’s leading somewhere that resolves everything, despite the lack of major events. It’s more like a long stretch to an event than a series of them leading to the resolution. I’m reminded of other “slow burn” films like the 1997 Iranian film “Taste of Cherry”, the 2002 Belgian film “The Son” or the 2001 French film “The Piano Teacher”, based on the Nobel Prize winning novel.
The story in “Power of the Dog” is simply about two brothers who own a ranch in 1925 Montana, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons). Phil is a bitter man, who just, at this point, is burned out, bitter and just wants the jobs on the ranch done. George is more good natured, who sees his life as more run of the mill. He does his job well, herding cattle, and just living out his life. He’s an everyman for 1925 Montana. While going to a local bar, he meets a woman named Rose (Kirsten Dunst), and her quiet but seemingly kind hearted son named Peter (Kodi Smit-McPee). Before you know it, Rose and George are married, and in a very traditional marriage, except for the fact that everytime Rose sees George’s brother, Phil, things don’t go well.
Everytime Phil sees Rose, he does little things to make her life hell. It’s little things like when she plays the piano, he plays the bango, to show who is in charge in a small way. It’s not so much a power dynamic in this regard, because of a woman's role in this time period, it is partly that. However, Phil would be mean to anyone.
Ironically, Phil is somewhat nice to Rose’s son, trying to teach him traditional roles of a man on a ranch. Despite that, Rose does not want her son spending time with Phil. George, being a traditional man, wants Phil to be nicer to his wife, but also somewhat more obvious to the depth of their hatred for each other.
Benedict Cumberbatch, best known these days for his role as Doctor Strange in the Marvel movies, gives an amazingly complex performance as Phil, a full and rich character who has multiple layers. Some of his layers are understandable, as to why he is so mean, and some not so much why he has to be so mean. As does Kristen Dunst, who shows her quiet discomfort with Phil, with a simple stare or action, and little dialogue. Jane Champion’s script is very tight, and well written, and the way she shoots the film is lush, as you would imagine Montana in the 1920s to be.
This movie is a slow burn, as I said above, but it all leads to an ending which may or may not shock you, depending on how you follow the film. However, it’s a rewarding watch, and sure to be an Oscar contender. It can also be an unpleasant watch, as it’s a character study of an unpleasant person taking control of what are otherwise two good people. All the movies I mentioned in the first paragraph, are studies of unpleasantness, and this film is as well. It’s worth watching.
