Genre: Drama
Director: Jane Campion
Writers: Jane Campion (screenplay by) & Thomas Savage (based on the book by)
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee
Jane Campion has already made a masterpiece piece before - 1993's The Piano - and one of the most lyrical cinematic pieces too - 2009's Bright Star, but what she achieves in The Power of the Dog is something in between an emotional thriller and visual poetry. Still, the emotional beats, the character development, the performances, the cinematography, the score... The Power of the Dog is something rare, something beautiful, some kind of cinematic gem.
The movie follows Phil and George Burbank, the young wealthy owners of a ranch, as their fates cross with Rose, a depressive widow who raises a young man by herself. I won't give away the plot, but George and Rose get married and they move to the family's house, where Phil also lives. Things get tense as Phil terrifies Rose and intimidates her son by pointing his lack of masculinity. And then things start getting complicated for both sides.
Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a haunting performance as Phil: he is a menacing figure, some kind of "toxic masculinity", with a huge lack of refinement for a man that wealthy and well-educated, but when a turning point happens, you start seeing him as a flawed, damaged man with a broken heart, broken dreams and a grief he was never able to truly live. It is the best performance of Cumberbatch's career and I dare to say it is also the best performance of the year! The complexity of the role and all the layers the actor was able to build for his take on Phil is a masterclass in acting!
Also brilliant, Kodi Smit-McPhee as the quiet time-bomb-boy that behaves with the grace of a lady... but you never quite relax on his presence - you know he'll explode somehow, somewhere, some time soon...! And that's the major achievement in Smit-McPhee's performance: that naïve dangerous vibe and all that sadness and repression living inside him.
Both actors achieve something very special with their performances, but they really work in their scenes together: the tension, the silent aggression, the sense of a man looking at the mirror. Two acting turns that elevate each other while completing each other.
Kirsten Dunst also shines here. After her (great) work in movies like The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette, Melancholia and now The Power of the Dog, she's the rightful holder of the title of "queen of drepression". Her Rose is not a fun character - in fact, there's absolutely no fun in her or anything funny around her. Rose is a wreck, an abyss in human form, someone who was so strong that cannot be anything else but fragile now. It's a showy role for Dunst exquisite dramatic chops and the role she long deserved to showcase her talents and use as an awards vehicle. As for Plemons, he has the less meaty role of the four, but he is able to work well with the material that is given to him and instead of trying to pop-up or showcase himself, he elevates those around him (he's that kind of secure and generous actor, which is a blessing!).
Jonny Greenwood's score also almost plays a character in this narrative: it is the one that builds tension! Not only it is beautiful to hear, but it also works its narrative purpose beautifully! Ari Wegner's cinematography work makes everything beautiful to look at and Peter Sciberras is a small genius of the editing room for sure. Jane Campion not only know how to write and direct a movie, but it seems she also knows how to surround herself with some major talents and make them work her vision.
For all these, The Power of the Dog is a true masterpiece! You will never see paper flowers, rabbits or a lasso with the same eyes ever again. Shower this movie with awards, please!
RATING: 9,5 / 10
Oscar potential categories:
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch)
- Best Supporting Actress (Kirsten Dunst)
- Best Supporting Actor (Kodi Smit-McPhee)
- Best Supporting Actor (Jesse Plemons)
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Editing
- Best Cinematography
- Best Production Design
- Best Original Score
- Best Sound
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