A natural-born rancher and his business-oriented brother have to keep working and living together when the latter gets married to a woman, which changes their status quo.
A superb psychological drama that delves into unknown personal motives by weaving a stealthy and obscure subplot. Of course, the raving reviews, nominations, and awards intrigued me to watch it. Still, Ari Wegner’s photography hooked me, and the first dining scene got my undivided attention. I hadn’t read much about it or Thomas Savage’s novel, so its story and character development surprised me.
Benedict Cumberbatch’s accent (Phil), Jesse Plemmons’ idiosyncratic performance (George), and Kirsten Dunst’s first leading role (Rose) since (the head-scratching) Woodshock (2017) make the mixture quite revelatory. Their chemistry is explosive, and Cumberbatch and Dunst go the extra mile in delivering their performances. Then, the polar opposite way their characters see but also deal with life, at first and then later, is all about every hero’s journey. The fact that it leads to a place we didn’t expect is part of that journey. I guess if we did expect it, it wouldn’t be a ride worth following. With Rose’s suffering being the story’s epicentre, George’s apathy towards Phil’s passive aggression becomes the narrative’s driving force. You get a completely different film by slightly changing those actions and reactions.
While we are it, the narrative’s division into chapters puts it chronologically into perspective. As much as non-linear narratives are more appealing to me, in this case, it makes absolute sense to be constructed the way it is. The mesmerising producer/writer/director Jane Campion, the woman behind films such as, The Piano (1993) and Bright Star (2009) does a spectacular comeback with a well-carved drama that invests in love, hatred, despair, and alienation in a time where the gender roles where defined by archetypes.
Peter Sciberras’ editing controls the film’s overall rhythm by pacing the shots, especially during dialogue sequences. This balances the utterances with their respective reactions and enhances the drama and mystery behind the questions raised. The answers don’t come easy, but when they do, they justify the aforementioned rhythm.
Assuming that it can be compared to The Legends of the Fall (1994), I would argue that The Legends is significantly more dramatic and features a variety of breathtaking performances, something that Dunst only achieves here. But then, the ending gives away a different kind of film, so whether the comparison can be made or not is purely subjective.
P.S. Plemmons and Dunst are a real-life couple with two sons.
P.P.S. Cumberbatch and Dunst went into method acting and didn’t speak to each other while filming.
P.P.P.S. Even though it takes place in Montana, it was shot in Campion’s homeland, New Zealand.
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