The Power of the Dog (2021) Movie Review
The Power of the Dog is the latest film from writer and director Jane Campion and takes place in 1925 in Montana. Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his brother George (Jesse Plemons) are wealthy ranchers. It’s evident immediately that Phil is the dominant brother as he calls the shots for the fellow ranchers and endlessly teases his brother. George seems to blend into the background until he begins courting Rose (Kirsten Dunst). When he marries her and brings her and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) to live at the house, it sparks problems between Phil and George.
Phil makes fun of Peter from the jump and leers at Rose from afar. He seems to resent their presence in the house and is bitter at George’s sudden lack of attention towards him. As time wears on, Peter is somehow able to soften Phil and they become close. To what end, I won’t say because the ending is too good to spoil here.
Jane Campion’s strength as a filmmaker is her ability to make subtle messages so powerful. The Power of the Dog explores a variety of different themes like sexual identity, masculinity, and power dynamics but she weaves them seamlessly together to create a commentary that is incredibly powerful. Exploring sexuality through the lens of cowboys is not new (see Brokeback Mountain) but Campion takes it up a notch and gives it an even more nuanced approach. Phil and Peter are complete foils of each other. Both are tall and lean but the similarities end there. Phil is rough, crude, and harsh. Peter is decidedly more feminine, making flowers out of paper. Phil is a true cowboy, skilled at riding horses, making rope from cow hides, and not showering for days. Peter doesn’t know how to ride a horse and knows nothing about being a rancher. The stereotypical “manly” traits clearly belong to Phil. But then Campion does something truly wonderful and flips everything we thought we know about masculinity on its head.
Meanwhile she weaves together varying levels of power dynamics. Phil is constantly trying to dominate everyone whether it’s his brother, his fellow ranchers, or Rose and Peter. Rose either can’t or won’t stand up to him but Peter tries. The ever shifting power plays create a level of tension that will have you waiting with bated breath. The cinematography is also gorgeous, with plenty of shots of frames within the frame showcasing how Phil’s world is changing throughout the movie.
But what caps off The Power of the Dog as one of the year’s best films is the music. Johnny Greenwood outdoes himself here creating a score that adds so much to the movie it’s almost a character in and of itself. Scenes that would be too long and bland are brought to life by a harrowing, low-pitched, Western-style cadence that fits the movie so perfectly it’s hard to know which came first – the score or the film. The Power of the Dog is a slow burn, with endless twists and turns surrounded by an ever present tension. The messages intertwine in a way that only Campion can meld them and it makes for one of her best films yet.
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like Westerns & ranching
2. You’re interested in exploring toxic masculinity and sexuality
3. You like slow burns
