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The Power of the Dog

Play trailer 2:06 Poster for The Power of the Dog R Released Nov 17, 2021 2h 8m Western Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
94% Tomatometer 364 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Verified Ratings
Severe, pale-eyed, handsome, Phil Burbank is brutally beguiling. All of Phil's romance, power and fragility is trapped in the past and in the land: He can castrate a bull calf with two swift slashes of his knife; he swims naked in the river, smearing his body with mud. He is a cowboy as raw as his hides. The year is 1925. The Burbank brothers are wealthy ranchers in Montana. At the Red Mill restaurant on their way to market, the brothers meet Rose, the widowed proprietress, and her impressionable son Peter. Phil behaves so cruelly he drives them both to tears, reveling in their hurt and rousing his fellow cowhands to laughter -- all except his brother George, who comforts Rose then returns to marry her. As Phil swings between fury and cunning, his taunting of Rose takes an eerie form -- he hovers at the edges of her vision, whistling a tune she can no longer play. His mockery of her son is more overt, amplified by the cheering of Phil's cowhand disciples. Then Phil appears to take the boy under his wing. Is this latest gesture a softening that leaves Phil exposed, or a plot twisting further into menace?
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The Power of the Dog

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Critics Consensus

Brought to life by a stellar ensemble led by Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog reaffirms writer-director Jane Campion as one of her generation's finest filmmakers.

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Audience Says

If you're ready to saddle up for a slow ride, The Power of the Dog's great acting and interesting ideas make the journey worthwhile.

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Critics Reviews

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Christina Newland iNews.co.uk A chewy drama about family dynamics, sexuality and ego featuring two brothers on a ranch in Montana in 1925. Rated: 5/5 Sep 23, 2024 Full Review Brandon Taylor New Yorker Campion’s new Western shares a visual vocabulary with Brokeback Mountain, but what looks like an unlikely love story turns out to be a tale of revenge. Mar 27, 2023 Full Review Jourdain Searles Bitch Media A brutal meditation on masculinity. Apr 1, 2022 Full Review Diana Tuova Spotlight on Film The Power of the Dog is a film of uncanny beauty and subtle power, whose biggest asset is the curious interplay of contrasts of all kinds: physical power vs. powers of intellect, innocence vs. corruption, honesty vs. hypocrisy, and love vs. hate. Rated: 4.5/5 Jul 18, 2024 Full Review Sarah Vincent Sarah G Vincent Views Not since Lady Macbeth (2016) has a film shifted power dynamics by exploring gender, class, and sexuality in each scene. Jun 10, 2024 Full Review Dave Giannini InSession Film Much has already been said about Jane Campion's western masterpiece, and for good reason. It is indeed truly great. Benedict Cumberbatch gives a career best performance. Feb 24, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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David L I HATED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS MOVIE. THE SET LOOKED NOTHNG LIKE MONTANA, THE DIRECTOR WAS WAY OFF ON SO MANY COUNTS LIKE SNOW ON THE GROUND AND A WOMAN IN THE FLIMSIEST OF DRESSES. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/27/22 Full Review Brooklyn Bill Beginning of film dragged. By the end it was engaging with a great twist. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/27/22 Full Review Alba Its a film meant to be seen on the big screen. Im so glad I made the time. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/23/22 Full Review Warrene W Hands down the best movie of the past year. Everything is nuanced and the performances are all Oscar worthy. This is a movie about toxic masculinity and repression and its psychological effects. It is also a story about family loyalty and how it eventuality manifests itself - stick with it! Anyone posting a review before they have watched this powerful movie to the end is doing it a gave disservice. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/21/22 Full Review Jerry The actors were good. Didn't like the story line. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/21/22 Full Review Liz Authentic and realistic storyline Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/18/22 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Severe, pale-eyed, handsome, Phil Burbank is brutally beguiling. All of Phil's romance, power and fragility is trapped in the past and in the land: He can castrate a bull calf with two swift slashes of his knife; he swims naked in the river, smearing his body with mud. He is a cowboy as raw as his hides. The year is 1925. The Burbank brothers are wealthy ranchers in Montana. At the Red Mill restaurant on their way to market, the brothers meet Rose, the widowed proprietress, and her impressionable son Peter. Phil behaves so cruelly he drives them both to tears, reveling in their hurt and rousing his fellow cowhands to laughter -- all except his brother George, who comforts Rose then returns to marry her. As Phil swings between fury and cunning, his taunting of Rose takes an eerie form -- he hovers at the edges of her vision, whistling a tune she can no longer play. His mockery of her son is more overt, amplified by the cheering of Phil's cowhand disciples. Then Phil appears to take the boy under his wing. Is this latest gesture a softening that leaves Phil exposed, or a plot twisting further into menace?
Director
Jane Campion
Producer
Jane Campion, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman
Screenwriter
Jane Campion
Distributor
Netflix
Production Co
New Zealand Film Commission, BBC Films, See-Saw Films, Max Films International, Brightstar Films, Cross City Films
Rating
R (Full Nudity|Brief Sexual Content)
Genre
Western, Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 17, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2021
Runtime
2h 8m
Sound Mix
Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Digital 2.39:1
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