The Power of the Dog

Written by Jane Campion

Based on the novel by Thomas Savage

Directed by Jane Campion

Rating: 🏆 most excellent

A rough and tumble cowboy takes it upon himself to mock the sissy traits out of his new sister-in-law’s teenage son. His cruelty drives her to drink, but her son stays true to himself and navigates his new life on the Montana ranch with the precision and resolve of a future surgeon.

The Power of the Dog is one of those special movies that gets better and better the more you sit with it after an initial viewing. It is immediately clear that the film is visually stunning. Set in 1925 rural Montana, the landscape is its own character and in many scenes, it steals the show. What is also evident from the start is the talent of the cast. Each cast member holds their own in a film that relies heavily on body language, subtlety, and minimal dialogue. Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons anchor the film with their solid performances, which allows Benedict Cumberbatch and Kodi Smith-McPhee to truly shine. 

As their relationship evolves there is the constant desire to know what each character is truly thinking, a palpable longing for a long monologue of exposition to answer the questions that are so tauntingly alluded to. This slow building of tension creates an atmosphere of hope and simultaneously fear, which leaves you not knowing what to expect next. 

For a film with no sex scene, there is a current of unresolved sexual tension that drives the story forward. Everything from braiding rope to saddling a horse feels sexual. The ambiguity of where this sexual tension is coming from and where it is being directed to is what makes a seemingly straightforward Western so complex. 

The beauty of this film is not knowing what will happen next, so rather than explain elements of the plot any further I will leave you with this; The Power of the Dog is a captivating cinematic experience and if you are wanting to watch all of the films that are sure to do well this award’s season, The Power of the Dog is a must-watch.