The Power of the Dog

 The Power of the Dog?! 

What dog? There's nothing there!

Actually, Baxter, that's a reference to Psalm 22:20 and it appears at the very end. When did you tune out?

An hour.

.... 

Now that I've explained the title, let's explain the movie.

In 1925, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Burbank (Jesse Plemmons) are cowboys with their own Ranch in Montana. One day, they stop at an Inn for food and relaxation. George falls for the widowed innkeeper, Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst). Phil doesn't take kindly to her or her awkward son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). It gets worse when George and Rose get married. Phil decides to take out his frustrations on her, which drives her to drink. But he and Peter take a mutual liking to each other. Phil decides to teach his new nephew the ways of the cowboy. It doesn't end well for him.

Jane Campion (The Piano) wrote and directed this take on Thomas Savage's novel. The film's more interested in character development than plot, which unfolds for 125 minutes. During which, we see Rose's alcoholism, Peter's morbid interests and George being there. Phil spends the plot taunting and mocking Rose. But his antagonism is quietly squashed before it culminates in a violent confrontation. We also get to understand why Phil is the way he is. It does an excellent job at spreading out clues towards his final fate. We're left wondering if it was a just one, too.

Let's talk about the cast. Cumberbatch perfectly plays Phil as a repressive Jerk. He's caustic towards people, but tender in private, especially when he brings up his late mentor, Bronco Henry. Smit-McPhee as Peter is no mere awkward pushover. Their relationship makes the second half a compelling one. Plemmons is OK as the nice George, but he's absent for a large chunk of the film. Dunst as Rose is a good woman trying to find her place in her new husband's household. Among which is Lola (Thomasin McKenzie), a servant with a surprising underreaction to Peter's dissection of a rabbit.

The technical stars of the film are Ari Wegner's cinematography and Jonny Greenwood's score. Wegner captures some astounding New Zealand (standing in for Montana) landscape imagery here. She also captures imposing closeups of its emotionally troubled characters. Greenwood's unnerving score accentuates the film's emotional conflicts rather well. Editor Peter Scibberas helps set up Phil's final fate with some telling cuts. One will understand what happened even if the characters can't.

The Power of the Dog's slow story might turn off first time viewers. But if you give it a second try, which is easy since it's on Netflix, you'll get some subtleties you missed. Its strong characterization makes up for its lack of an apparent plot. Overall, it's an interesting western; it's easy to see why it's the frontrunner for the next Best Picture Oscar. See it now and you may agree with the hype.

Or not.