Review: The Power Of The Dog

Director Jane Campion’s ‘The Power Of The Dog’ is sure to garner multiple Oscar nominations for this year’s Academy Awards.

A talented cast and awe inspiring locations make this Western Drama an awards favorite; but is a story being told, or a message being sent?  That’s what one should ask when watching The Power Of The Dog.

The Plot – The Power Of The Dog

The Burbank brothers, Phil, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, and George, played by Jesse Plemons, are marking the end of an era. Phil, the cocky alpha male of the group, revels in the hyper masculine environment of wild west.  George, the quieter, more contemplative of the two, seems uneasy and ready for their ranching days to be over.

Montana ranchers through and through, Phil and George head out on their final cattle drive after a quarter of a century together.  It’s 1925, and the days of ‘Bronco Henry’ are almost over.

Widow Rose Gordon and her son Peter, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, run one of the last businesses left in the virtually abandoned rail stop town of Beech, MT.  Rose, played by Kirsten Dunst,  and Peter prepare Dinner at their restaurant for the Burbanks and their cow pokes.

Holding Court

Phil holds court with the other cowboys after a job well done.  Crass and confident, Phil soon squares his comedic attention on the educated and sensitive Peter.  Phil openly mocks Peter’s gay mannerisms and artistic décor in front of the other cowboys; bullying the young teenager.

Unable to fight back against his customers, Peter has to grin and bare it.  Rose is brought to tears over the verbal assaults on her son, but does not fight back either.

George, embarrassed by his brother, tries to save face with Rose, and gives her a shoulder to cry on.  Hoping for even more, George barely sums up the courage to court the widow.

George and Rose

After an offscreen courtship and wedding, George brings Rose home to the ranch, after unceremoniously dropping Peter off at Boarding School.  Phil’s none too happy about the secret marriage, and hopes his parents can knock some sense into George.

As Rose tries to make herself at home in the ancient, yet stately ranch house; Phil sets about intimidating his new Sister-In-Law.  Outdueling Rose musically with his banjo, and not-so-subtle insults when George isn’t around; Phil makes sure her anxiety is at a fever pitch.

After a visit from George’s parents and the Governor, Rose’s only solace comes from the bottom of a bottle; rendering her character moot.  And, this is all before Peter comes home from Boarding School.  

Left nearly alone to be the target of ire from his Ivy-League-Educated Homophobic Cowboy of an Uncle-In-Law; Peter stands alone.  What could possibly go wrong?

The Power Of The Dog Instant Movie Review

The Good – The Power Of The Dog

The Cinematography

Director Jane Campion and Director of Photography Ari Wegner show off the beauty of ‘Big Sky Country’, of Montana, even if they filmed in New Zealand.

Snow capped mountains, rustic river valleys, Cowboys on horseback, and cattle driven across the land all pop off the screen.  Long landscape shots and beautifully edited montages show off nature’s beauty; as well as the immense scale and grandeur of the natural world versus mankind.

Using the classic anamorphic widescreen ratio of 2.39 to 1, Campion and Wegner fill even inch of the frame as well as any Western.  The scope and scale of the Montana wilderness shows just how far the Burbank ranch is from the rest of civilization, even in 1925.

The use of light and shadow is also brilliantly done, showing off the changing of the seasons, the mood of our characters, and further emphasizing the scope and scale of nature itself.

The Cast

Director Jane Campion brings an outstanding cast of Emmy and Oscar Nominees to The Power Of The Dog.

Marvel Movie stars populate much of the cast.  Doctor Strange himself stars as the in-the-closet Alpha male – Phil, afraid a woman will come between him and his brother.  Mary Jane Watson herself stars as that woman who comes between brothers, and can’t handle to pressure that brings on her and her son.

X-Men: Apocalypse’s Kodi Smit-McPhee brings his experience as Nightcrawler to Rose’s son, the openly gay Peter.  And, Breaking Bad’s Jesse Plemons brings his gravitas and depth to Phil’s brother George.

We even see the chemistry of a real life engaged couple in Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst playing the married George and Rose.

Last Night In Soho’s Thomasin McKenzie, Oscar Winner Keith Carradine, Emmy Nominee Frances Conroy, and Western veteran Adam Beach help round out the cast in limited screen time.

The Bad – The Power Of The Dog

The Limited Focus

While the film starts out with all the broad strokes of a Western, the focus quickly narrows after the first hour to the Phil/Peter storyline.

Phil’s bullying and harassment of Peter suddenly changes to that of a creepy, yet threatening mentorship.  Phil braids a rope just for Peter that he’ll give him ‘at the end of the season’; and claims he wants to go riding with Peter, ominously, just the two of them.

We see less and less of Rose and George, and focus almost exclusively falls on Phil and Peter.  The relationship between George and Phil, and the marriage between George and Rose largely fade away.  Even the mother and son bond of Rose and Peter gets overlooked, as we instead focus on Phil’s repression and Peter’s growing confidence.

Many Westerns of this scale can focus on multiple storylines and tell a deep, multilayered story, balanced between all the characters.  Instead, The Power Of The Dog narrows its focus to that of repression and bullying.

The Preachy And The Predictable

One person’s power of the pulpit, is another’s unwanted sermon.  One person’s advocacy, is another’s preachy messaging.

The beauty of film and entertainment is the ability to tell a story, from a certain point of view, without making your audience feel like a ‘captive’ audience.  You can send a message filled with allegory or wrapped in symbolism and humor, without the viewer feeling like they are listening to a sermon.

Parts of The Power Of The Dog feel like advocacy more than storytelling; like preaching at the audience more than entertaining.  While the difference may be subtle, and the intent less than obvious; the tone is there none the less.  It doesn’t matter what the message being sent is; it matters that a message is being sent.

The Review – The Power Of The Dog

While the cinematography and scope of The Power Of The Dog are top notch, and the talented cast brings a litany of quality, nuanced performances; the film crosses the line from entertainment to advocacy.

The Power Of The Dog is a fine example of cinematic craft both in front of and behind the camera.  But, the film feels more like one done for a purpose, rather than one done for amusing an audience.  
Since I dislike listening to anybody preaching at me, no matter how much I may agree with what is being said; this affects my review for this film.

If The Power Of The Dog had the same basic story, but was told in a more subtle tone, I would have liked this film much more.  If the focus was more on the characters than sending a message, I would have liked this film a whole lot more. 

No matter how much I agree with the filmmakers, the message being sent doesn’t matter.  It matters that a message is being sent at all.

If you’re ‘sending a message’, I tend to tune out.

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