The Power of the Dog

— Jane Campion’s latest film is methodical, beautiful, smoldering, and unsettling. Benedict Cumberbatch, as an American cowboy, is at first a little too stereotypic until you realize the part he’s playing is someone whose facade is carefully maintained. Kirsten Dunst is perfect as the woman who marries a rancher and finds herself unable to adjust to ranch life and one omnipresent ranch man in particular. Throw in a bookish, gangly, somewhat effeminate son, and you end up with more stuff smoldering under the surface than anyone needs. It’s a struggle to be the alpha male, to come to terms with sexuality, to live with addiction, to overcome loneliness... It’s a wonderful film, but the kind of thing about as many people will dislike as like. I really liked it. Kudos to both Cumberbatch and Dunst and, of course, to Campion. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 126 min. Directed by Jane Campion. Starring Benedit Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-power-of-the-dog-movie-review-2021