All is not as it seems in The Power of The Dog

by Kathia Woods

In Montana, two brothers who are totally opposite are trying to find their way. Both ranchers, one of whom is a natural cowboy and the other a businessperson. The turmoil and silent friction eroding their relationship. A woman with a son arrives, and their problems are now simmering just beneath the surface, ready to burst.  

Jane Champion who is best known for her Oscar-nominated film The Piano in the Power of the Dog. Champion creates an intimate film with an unexpected twist. The film, based on Thomas Savage's book, is a surging deep dive into early Americana and family conflict.  

At first glance, the film's subject appears to be cattle ranchers around the turn of the century, but it soon becomes clear that, while the scenery is beautiful, it is not the star of this saga. Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank is a natural cowboy, alpha male, and banjoist. Phil is what we call a toxic man in modern vernacular. He mocks his brother for not wanting to drink and socialize with the men, he has no tolerance for men who show signs of weakness, and he has little use for women. He's also impolite and has a problem with bathing. I wondered if that man ever took a bath. 

George Burbank played by Jesse Plemons is the entire opposite. He’s a modern man, enjoys driving a car, gentler, respects women and wants to be a respectable member of society. There is a continuous dance of tolerance between the brothers. Phil referring to George as fastso to demean him, George choosing his words whenever they speak to avoid conflict. While Phil recognizes that George is his brother and business partner there seems to be an absence of love. George, you feel more admires his brother but gets weary of his bullying ways. Bendict Cumberbatch gives a stirring performance of an extremely unlikable man, however like so. many ugly things we the public can’t help but to keep looking praying for his demise. Jesse Plemons is an actor that everyone should know. His versatility unmatched. HIs performance although more tempered is equally good. 

Kristen Dunst as Rose Gorden serves as a counterpoint to this all-male cast. She, like many other women at the time, isn't given a lot of options. She's a widowed mother of a young boy whom we met through her ownership of a boarding house where ranchers stay when they come into town to drop off cattle. Rose is dissatisfied with her life and the bad decisions that have been made for her. 

George, she believes, provides her with a lifeline through marriage. We, as the audience, want Rose to find her voice. We want her to take charge of her life and have as much faith in herself as George does. Dunst, who has performed in front of audiences since she was a child, is excellent as Rose. She often has to convey Rose's loneliness through facial expressions and low tone. Her performance is the quietest of the three main characters, but it is still crucial to the story. 

Kodi Smit-McPhee as Peter Gordon is a pleasant surprise. He's the unknown. As Peter, he appears weak and idle, but he is the smartest of the bunch. Phil refers to him as a Nancy boy during their first meeting because he is close to his mother. Kodi Smit-McPhee may have had the most difficult job of the cast, which was to be unpredictable. That is extremely rare in a film in 2021. 

We can't talk about this movie without mentioning the cinematography. The film is set in Montana in 1925, but it was shot in New Zealand. Ari Wegner, the cinematographer, recognized that the scenery was just as important as the performance. 

The Power of Dog is a one-of-a-kind film that focuses on complete storytelling and fleshing out the characters. The script that Champion wrote gives the actors a lot to work with, as shown by the results on the screen. This is a film that requires one's undivided attention to fully appreciate the twists and turns. Ms. Champion has proven that while it has been a while since her last film, it was well worth the wait.