REVIEW: "Killers of the Flower Moon"

Genre: Drama

Director: Martin Scorsese

Writer: Eric Roth & Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert DeNiro, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, Tantoo Cardinal and Cara Jade Myers

Some might argue that Killers of the Flower Moon is too long and that might hurt the audiences' ability to appreciate its quality - they are not wrong, but I found Scorsese's latest a truly fascinating tale of greed and grief. The director works around the most interesting central subject he has ever handled since The Departed and I got completely engaged in the movie's narrative. Plus, Killers of the Flower Moon is exquisitely crafted and amazingly acted, making it an extremely satisfying cinematic experience at the movies.

The movie starts by presenting the greatness of the Osage people and how they got insanely rich by accident and it shows how good their lives were back in the day. Then the white men arrive and things start getting as dirty as the oil the Osage land got and as the oil money the white men sought. Scorsese presents Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) as a greedy, lazy and unintelligent man since the first minute he's on the screen and then he presents his uncle William King Hale (Robert DeNiro) as a mastermind that notices Ernest's lack of intelectual ability right in their first chat. In that moment, you sense something dangerous is coming from Hale's mind through Ernest's hands... you just don't know what. That's when Ernest meets Mollie, a pure blood Osage, and reveals to his uncle that he has been driving her that Hale suggests Ernest could try to seduce her not because she would be a good wife, but because of her oil headrights - but what starts as a plan to get the Osage money becomes a love story between Ernest and Mollie, who face tragedy together as a series of murders threat the Osage people in a quasi-genocidal scale. It's a compelling narrative that works both as a whodunnit and a social comment about the greedy and bloody side of the American dream. Scorsese makes it very clear: should we sacrifice the Native people's community in the name of our own personal ambitions? The villain here is not only the man who ordered the killings, but the non-Osage people in general. It's not only a crime western epic, it's a history lesson, a preach and an allegory.

Leonardo DiCaprio makes for an engaging lead (as he always does) and he delivers a very good performance as Ernest - a multidimensional character stuck between the love he feels for his wife and children and the greedy ambitions of his uncle that plays him like a puppet. As for DeNiro, he's a delight to watch: so relaxed, so charismatic, embracing the evil that rots his character's heart...! It's been a while since we had an opportunity to watch DeNiro embracing a character with such grip. But the heart and soul of Killers of the Flower Moon is Lily Gladstone - her quiet and subtle intensity in her eyes speak a thousand words even when she says nothing. It's a subtle tour-de-force performance - with a certain degree of intensity that I don't recall watching in recent years. Her Mollie carries the hopes for love and a happy family life in her heart, but she also carries the tragedy, the grief and the tears of her murdered people - and her scream will haunt you for days! Also worthy of a note here is Cara Jade Myers, who has a brief (but scene-stealing) role as Mollie's sister Anna (the "wild one") and she ignites the screen with her electrifying presence - the exact opposite to Gladstone's peaceful Mollie.

Technically, Killers of the Flower Moon has a lot to admire. Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto crafts an impressive series of almost lyrical images, framing and colors that give the film some of the most beautiful frames of Scorsese's entire filmography that also work as a love letter to the beauty of the Osage people and their land. Thelma Schoonmaker crafts (once again) some precise editing work and the same applies to the sound editing and mixing teams. Jacqueline West features some beautiful costume design work (specially the Osage women's clothing) and Jack Fisk builds a detailed world in the production design department. 

A well-made movie, with an interesting subject that compelled me, Killers of the Flower Moon never truly dazzles or explodes, but it builds tension and always manages to keep the bar high during it's 3 hours and 30 minutes running time. It's a Martin Scorsese's passion project and he is able to translate his love for the story to the big screen - and it goes directly to the director's Top 5 Best Movies Ever. Go for Scorsese, stay for Lily Gladstone.

RATING: 9 / 10

Oscar potential categories:

• Best Picture
• Best Director
• Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)
• Best Actress (Lily Gladstone)
• Best Supporting Actor (Robert DeNiro)
• Best Adapted Screenplay
• Best Editing
• Best Cinematography
• Best Production Design
• Best Costume Design
• Best Original Score
• Best Sound