The Power of the Dog (2021)
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A tense psychological drama set in 1925 Montana explores the volatile dynamics between two ranching brothers and a woman who enters their lives.
The story
In 1925 Montana, wealthy ranch-owning brothers Phil and George Burbank meet widow and inn owner Rose Gordon during a cattle drive. The kindhearted George is quickly taken with Rose, but the coarse and volatile Phil dislikes her, believing she only wants George's money. Phil also belittles her teenage son Peter, dering him as weak and effeminate. As Rose moves into the Burbank ranch house while Peter attends medical school, tensions simmer between the family members. The narrative explores the internal lives of the characters against the backdrop of the rugged Montana landscape, focusing on the friction caused by Phil's abrasive nature and the growing complexities of the relationships between the two families.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1925 Montana, wealthy ranch-owning brothers Phil and George Burbank meet widow and inn owner Rose Gordon. While George falls for Rose, the volatile Phil views her with suspicion and belittles her son, Peter. After George and Rose marry, the family moves onto the ranch. During a dinner party, Rose is unable to perform on the piano due to Phil's earlier insults. She begins drinking, and Peter, home from medical school, is mocked by Phil. The two men share a growing, secretive bond; Phil teaches Peter to ride and they spend time together in the hills. Phil's past with a mentor, Bronco Henry, is revealed through his possessions and a shared history of intimacy. As Rose's alcoholism worsens, Phil's health declines from an infected wound. He eventually dies of anthrax. In the aftermath, Peter remains in the shadows, keeping his own secrets while the others move forward.
- First release year
- 2021
- Runtime (minutes)
- 126
- Production countries
- New Zealand; Australia; United Kingdom; United States; Canada
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jane Campion
- Writers
- Jane Campion · writer
- Cast and characters
- Benedict Cumberbatch · Phil Burbank; Kirsten Dunst · Rose Gordon; Jesse Plemons · George Burbank; Kodi Smit-McPhee · Peter
- Themes
- masculinity; repression
- Tone and mood
- tense; melancholy; solitude
- Premise and plot tags
- Western; psychological drama; period piece
- Source material / true-story basis
- Thomas Savage's 1967 novel
- Reception
- The film was acclaimed by critics, who praised the direction, screenplay, cinematography, score, and lead performances. It was widely regarded as one of the best films of 2021 and was included on numerous 'best of' lists.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 94% · scale: percentage · review count: 351; Metacritic · score: 89 · scale: 100 · review count: 58
- Awards and nominations
- Silver Lion for Best Direction · Best Direction · win; Academy Award · Best Director · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Director · win; Critics' Choice Award · Best Picture · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Direction · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Film · win
- Production trivia
- The film was the first to win only one award from 12 nominations since The Graduate (1967).; The film was the first directed by a woman to receive more than ten Academy Award nominations.; Campion is the first woman to receive more than one Academy Award nomination for Best Director.
Genres
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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