dog strength | Jane Campion at the top of her game

This movie adaptation of Thomas Savage’s novel, published in 1967, is not as Western as anyone else. Filmmaker Jane Campion, whose return to the big screen after 12 years of absence couldn’t be more complicated, is already using genre codes to make visible poetry, as Terrence Malik did at the time. Heaven days. Rarely has a feature film categorized as “western” been so beautiful to watch.

Marc Andre Loser
Journalism

However, the strength dog power It goes far beyond its aesthetic aspect. It also lies in the way a story is executed, its dramatic springs surreptitiously linked to the construction of a stubborn psychological contest.

I haven’t done anything to cinema since then bright Star, Director the piano, who devoted several years to the series top of the lake, tops his art by bringing to the screen a story where, for the first time in cinema, male characters are its protagonists. Camp in Montana a century ago (however filmed in New Zealand), dog power It tells the journey of two very intimate brothers, whose dynamics explode on the day one of them brings back a woman he loved on the farm they run.

While they couldn’t be different in temperaments from one another, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons) have lived — and slept — together for 40 years. The dominant personality of one contrasts with the other’s more secretive and well-meaning nature. Even his brother regularly insults George. Their fate changes on the day they, along with the men working on the farm, travel to the restaurant in the hotel instead, which is now run by Rose (Kirsten Dunst), a newly widowed woman.

This is where Phil automatically decides to show who’s the master by cruelly taunting Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Rose’s son, in front of everyone. Fierce in appearance, and displaying a certain artistic talent (he took the trouble to create paper flowers to decorate all the tables), Peter vividly represents in the eyes of an elephant, an incurable macho, whatever the latter hates in a man who does not match his definition of masculinity. However, it appears that by comforting the grieving widow after the scandal, George developed a relationship with her that led him to the altar. Phil will then have no other purpose than to psychologically destroy those aliens who are corrupting his order of things.

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Brilliant, sensual, and suspenseful, bolstered especially by an atmospheric musical framework (signed by Johnny Greenwood), Jane Campion tells a story that is more complex and mysterious than it might seem at first glance.

and lo dog powerCo-produced by Québecian Roger Frapper, his inspiration is drawn from the traditions of another era, his film is ultra-modern and highlights a point that reflects the concerns of our time, particularly regarding the notion of toxic masculinity.

With an exceptional quadruple showing, this feature film clearly features the stellar performance of Benedict Cumberbatch (the quote from the next Oscars seems to be confirmed already), as well as that of Kodi Smit-McPhee. The Australian actor has already managed to translate the calm strength and resilience of a more unique character, the plot of which is based on the development of which maintains interest until the result. At the same time, dog power It reminds us, as if necessary, of the place Jane Campion still occupies in the circumscribed circle of the greatest contemporary filmmakers.

dog power (dog power is the title in French) in its original version with a French translation in the Cinéma Moderne and Cinéma du Musée. From November 22, it will be shown on the Cinémathèque Québécoise and will then be available on Netflix from 1^{is being} December.

Coming to cinemas on Friday and on Netflix on the first day^{is being} December.

drama

dog power

Jane Campion

Avec Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons

2 h 06

★★★★