Preston Barta // Features Editor
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
Rated R, 206 minutes.
Now playing in theaters.
It’s incredible how many times legendary director Martin Scorsese can make a film with the same narrative beats. You know, bad people doing bad things before they’re in too deep and start ratting on each other to stay out of jail? Most of these movies are nearly or over three hours long, too. Yet, despite their DNA crossovers, Scorsese finds ways to make each entry compelling and exciting.
His latest butt-numbing feat, Killers of the Flower Moon, blooms with award-worthy talent and historical intrigue/devastation. Does it warrant being three and a half hours? Not really. An hour could have been left out to keep things moving without repetition. But the top-shelf performances and setting make for a mostly exquisite viewing.
Set at the turn of the 20th century, this epic western crime saga is based on the true story of when the Osage Nation became some of the wealthiest people in the world overnight. The Native American tribe earned lots of money from their land’s oil — and many white interlopers manipulated, extorted and stole as much Osage money as they could before turning to murder.
The film centers on World War I veteran Ernest Burkhart (an outstanding Leonardo DiCaprio). He arrives in Fairfax, Oklahoma, to work for his uncle and politically-minded cattle rancher William “King” Hale (Robert De Niro, in one of his best roles). The Osage community likes King, but it’s clear he has a sinister agenda, which involves asking Ernest to court Mollie (a sure-to-be-nominated Lily Gladstone), a quiet but bright Osage woman whom Ernest drives around town. Soon, she’s charmed by Ernest, calling him a handsome but gentle “coyote.”
What started as a scheme becomes true love in She’s All That fashion. But, at the same time, the death toll of the Osage people begins to climb, causing trust to become foggy. When tragedy hits home for Mollie, she’s forced to question who to believe and where to go.
Killers of the Flower Moon has all the Scorsese-isms: unspeakable betrayal, cold killings, and harsh depictions of American culture. It’s Sin City in Scorsese’s films, and his exploration of that theme never gets exhausting because he finds ways to peel back more layers of humanity’s darkest sides. In fact, Scorsese, who often appears in his films, speaks the first lines about sin in his first wiseguy film, 1973’s Mean Streets. He also voices the final lines about sin in Killers of the Flower Moon. The poetry within Scorsese’s visual and verbal work is one of the many reasons he’s one of the best living filmmakers. Yes, while his films are incredibly long, they, more often than not, feel like epics that cause you to be more invested in the characters.
However, an argument could be made about Killers of the Flower Moon’s length. Would it make for a better mini-series with some chapter breaks? Probably. I feel like this and Scorsese’s last film, The Irishman, would have benefitted from some pauses and slight restructuring to fit that medium. As a nearly four-hour film, Killers of the Flower Moon is admittedly difficult to sit through at times, especially during the many funeral sequences and scenes of characters sitting around drinking. Scorsese could have fast-tracked these moments to communicate the weight of the emotions and themes.
What towers above anything are the performances, principally the core three actors. DiCaprio continues to flex his Brando-like quality as a performer. In some roles in the past, it’s been challenging to separate the superstar from the performance. It just feels like DiCaprio in a film versus a character in a film, even if he’s always fully committed. In Killers of the Flower Moon, it felt different. Perhaps it’s Ernest’s bulldog pout (even more Brando), accent, or his complex relationship with Mollie. Whatever it is, it works and makes for one of DiCaprio’s best and most natural performances.
De Niro is on another level. Any remembrances of Dirty Grandpa are quickly buried through King’s intensity. There are scenes in this that call to mind Goodfellas when Lorraine Bracco’s Karen Hill is walking down the streets in fear when De Niro’s Jimmy directs her where to go. King is as unpredictable and scary as Jack Nicholson’s Costello in The Departed. You don’t know when he’s going to warmly shake you by the hand or blow it off.
Gladstone (Certain Women) is the film’s ace card. Her character’s heartbreak, eye acting and overall range of emotions are truly incredible. It’s not a very loud or showy performance. It’s haunting more than anything. You’ll find yourself thinking about specific moments, like her walking through a forest to face a reality she doesn’t want to meet or how she reacts to the sounds of a handsaw. Mollie is forced to endure so much, yet her love for Ernest remains. It’s riveting, and Gladstone deserves to be the talk of the awards season.
In all, Killers of the Flower Moon is an emotionally powerful and well-crafted film. It’s some of these actors’ best work but not Scorsese’s best. He’s played these chess pieces before, but the film’s historical window freshens the narrative enough to make it memorable.
Grade: B
