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Jesse Plemons

8.12 Behind the Image in THE POWER OF THE DOG

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In Jane Campion’s THE POWER OF THE DOG, Benedict Cumberbatch plays gruff cowboy, Phil Burbank. After his brother returns with a new wife and son, Phil does his best to put on a show of toxic masculinity and dominance, even as his conflicted soul suffers underneath. This week, Seeing & Believing‘s Kevin McLenithan and author Wade Bearden stop by to talk about hiding behind the image and showing our dark side.

(Note: This episode was recorded as part of our ‘Best Movie Moments of 2021’ and re-edited as a standalone. You can watch our Top Movie Moments episode here.)

You can watch the episode on YouTube and stream on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify, iHeart Radio or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can downoad the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home? ?Click the link below to download ?Fishing for More? ? some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

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The Power of the Dog: Poisonous Image and Personal Courage

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Trying to maintain an image can be exhausting. In?The Power of the Dog?though, we see that trying to live up to public expectations can also kill the soul.

Although they have built a successful ranch together, brothers George and Phil Burbank could not be more different. Elder brother Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) maintains a rough and dirty exterior who consistently praises his masculine mentor, Bronco Bill. Meanwhile, George (Jesse Plemons) is a sensitive soul who wants to be a part of the cultural elite. When George meets Rose (Kirsten Dunst), he is immediately smitten by her. After they wed, he welcomes his new bride and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) back to the ranch. However, as family secrets begin to surface, tensions between Phil, Rose and Peter begin to rise, threatening the family dynamics.

Directed by Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog is a return to form for the director. In her first directorial effort since 2009?s Bright Star, Campion?s latest is a stirring character drama that operates on a slow burn amidst the heat of the desert. Bleaching the screen with pale, warm colours, Campion uses the land to visually display the emotional dryness that her characters are experiencing. Although they live and work in this land, this is a place of death and parchedness of the soul.  

Led by a cast that includes Dunst, Smit-McPhee and the always rock-solid Plemons, it should be no surprise that Dog features some great work from everyone involved. However, the most noteworthy performance comes from Cumberbatch who absolutely transforms himself as Phil. Known for his affable charm and smile, Cumberbatch fully leans into the sexually-confused curmudgeon that he plays and offers one of his best and most unique performances. Although Phil maintains a rough exterior, Cumberbatch also manages to break through his beastliness and infuses his character with humility and even fear. 

Somewhat unexpectedly, the film takes its title from Psalm 22:20 but the allegory becomes quite appropriate. In this particular Biblical passage, psalmist David is mourning that his life is under constant attack from his enemies. Crying out to God for salvation, he pleads ?Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.? There is an anguish and anxiety that pervades this passage that reveals the fear of its author at the hands of his adversaries. As a result, Campion subtly uses this text to establish the sort of inner suffering that her characters experience, especially Phil Burbank.

While the ?gay cowboy? trope has admittedly become a cinematic staple since Brokeback Mountain broke down barriers, Power of the Dog is more of an exploration of masculine culture than it is a love story. Set at a time when gender roles were supposed to be clearly defined, Dog speaks to the damage that can be done to the soul when who we really are fails to meet those expectations. In almost every case, the characters within this film have an image that they seek to maintain. George insists on giving the impression that he is of high society. Rose desperately wants to keep people from seeing her alcoholism. Most importantly though, Phil is a brute who desperately seeks to cover up his own homosexuality. Here, every primary character is living some form of lie that prevents them from being who they fully are.

As a result, in an interesting twist, the most powerful character in the film may actually be the one who is perceived to be the weakest. As a young artist who dresses flamboyantly, Peter is looked down upon by the brutish cowboys that work on the ranch. However, he is also the only one who is not trying to hide who he really is. Comfortable in his own skin, Pete dresses how he likes and is willing to stand out of the crowd. 

Peter?s self-empowerment draws Phil?s attention with an ire that stems from admiration. In other words, although Phil begins by bullying the young man, its fairly easy to tell that these aggressive acts are merely over-compensation and rooted in his own envy of Peter?s confidence. For his entire life, Phil has admired his idol, Bronco Bill for the power and masculine dominance that he demonstrated. Staring off into the mountains for the proverbial dog, Phil recognizes that his life means more than what others can see yet he seems powerless to experience it. However, in Pete, Phil discovers a wholeness and sense of self that creates a new form of respect in him. 

Whereas Phil remains trapped within his own harsh image, Pete is free to be himself. 

With heat and affection, Campion?s Power of the Dog is a subversive examination of masculine stereotypes and their toxic effect on the soul. By subverting the tropes of the western genre, she opens a space for conversation surrounding what it means to lean into who you really are, even if it defies expectations of the dominant culture.

The Power of the Dog is available in theatres on Friday, November 17thth, 2021 and will make its debut on Netflix on December 1st, 2021.

TIFF ’21: The Power of the Dog

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Although they have built a successful ranch together, brothers George and Phil Burbank could not be more different. Elder brother Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) maintains a rough and dirty exterior who consistently praises his masculine mentor, Bronco Bill. Meanwhile, George (Jesse Plemons) is a sensitive soul who wants to be a part of the cultural elite. When George meets Rose (Kirsten Dunst), he is immediately smitten by her. After they wed, he welcomes his new bride and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) back to the ranch. However, as family secrets begin to surface, tensions between Phil, Rose and Peter begin to rise, threatening the family dynamics.

In her first directorial effort since 2009?s Bright Star, Jane Campion?s latest is a stirring character drama that operates on a slow burn amidst the heat of the desert. Led by a cast that includes Dunst, Smit-McPhee and Plemons, it should be no surprise that Dog features some great work from everyone involved. However, the most noteworthy performance comes from Cumberbatch who absolutely transforms himself as brutish Phil Burbank. 

With heat and affection, Campion?s?Power of the Dog?is a subversive examination of masculine stereotypes and their toxic effect on the soul. While the ?gay cowboy? trope has admittedly become a cinematic staple since?Brokeback Mountain?broke down barriers,?Power of the Dog?is more of an exploration of masculine culture than it is a love story. Set at a time when gender roles were supposed to be clearly defined,?Dog?speaks to the damage that can be done to the soul when who we really are fails to meet those expectations. Here, every primary character is living some form of lie that prevents them from being who they fully are. By subverting the tropes of the western genre, she opens a space for conversation surrounding what it means to lean into who you really are, even if it defies expectations of the dominant culture.

The Power of the Dog premiered at TIFF ’21 on Friday, September 10th, 2021

Jungle Cruise: One Fun Ride

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Even though it?s a blockbuster based on a theme park ride that?s filled with bad puns, Jungle Cruise is one insane trip.

Jungle Cruise stars Dwayne ?The Rock? Johnson as skipper Frank Wolff and Emily Blunt as Dr. Lily Houghton. Set in 1916, at the height of WWI, Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) is a British doctor who reluctantly teams up with Frank, an expert tour guide of the Amazon. Setting sail on his rickety old boat, they go on a jungle adventure to acquire the petals of a magical tree that will change modern medicine and, potentially, even end the war. However, hot on their heels is the contemptable Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons), a German aristocrat determine to use the petal for his own gain. 

In many ways, Cruise feels like a Marvel movie. Filled with witty and charming banter that?s just plain fun, the dialogue pops like the best MCU moments. In fact, there are moments when hearing The Rock banter with Blunt feels like those conversations between Iron Man and Captain America. The chemistry these two have is amazing and just feels so natural. What? s more, action scenes are also well choreographed and take advantage of the beautiful amazon setting, including all creatures and supernatural elements that are involved. The over-arching supernatural/magical backstory is much more complex than initially expected which was a very pleasant surprise, especially considering it?s based on a fun little ride for vacationers.  

Personally, I loved that they were able to take an iconic Disney ride and make it into an intense action movie. As the tour guide of the ride, Frank even shares the same bad puns that you?d hear from the famed tour guides on the Jungle Cruise at Disney World. Featuring all the dangers of the island such as the natives and wildlife, Cruise really makes you feel you?re back in Florida on the ride itself (except, in a strange way, it feels even more immersive watching the movie.)  

With an eye on inclusion, Jungle Cruise seems to be one of Disney?s major steps toward ?wokeness.? As a woman in the early 20th Century, Dr. Houghton gets absolutely no respect from the scientific community. In addition, her brother McGregor (Jack Whitehall), one of the very few rare gay characters in Disney?s movies, is also ostracized simply for his sexuality., Whereas the action genre is traditionally dominated by straight males, Jungle Cruise utilizes these two characters in a way where that highlights who they were and views them as equal

At the same time, Frank?s character arc is also closely tied with this. Without giving any spoilers, Frank has witnessed the absolute worst of people throughout his life. Broken by the pain of his past, he would rather die than spend another minute alive. However, Lily takes an alternative view. Instead of giving up, Lily sees the horror of this world but actively wants to change it for the better. Despite the frustrations that she sees and has experienced at the hands of a male-dominated society, Lily is committed to fighting for a new future, giving the film a more hopeful edge.  

Led by the dynamic duo of Dwayne ?The Rock? Johnson and Emily Blunt,?Jungle Cruise?has everything you want and more from a Disney action movie. Funny and energetic, the film has an adventurous spirit that should entertain all ages. In short,?Jungle Cruise?is a fun ride.

Jungle Cruise is available in theatres and on Disney+ Premiere Access on July 30th, 2021.

Vice – Humble Servant to Power

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John Nance Garner (one of FDR?s Vice Presidents) observed that the Vice Presidency ?is not worth a bucket of warm spit.? But that was different when Dick Cheney became Vice President. Cheney seemed to many to be the real power during George W. Bush?s presidency (at least the early years). Adam McKay?s Vice is a wide-ranging, sometimes satirical, sometimes cynical, sometimes funny, sometimes deadly serious, sometimes factual, sometimes imagined biopic of Cheney. It is by no means free of prejudice (many might call it ‘liberal spin’), but even with that understanding, it raises important questions for us to consider about how power is used by some.

The story follows Cheney (Christian Bale, in a superb performance) and his wife Lynne (Amy Adams, also great here) from his ?ne?er-do-well? or ?dirtbag? days after flunking out of Yale to being perhaps the most powerful man in the world. The terms ?power? and ?opportunity? come up frequently in the first part of the film. ?It should be noted that if we think of Cheney as the power behind the throne, this film portrays Lynne as the power behind the power. As a woman, she knew that the road to power was not open to her at that time. Instead, she formed Dick into the one through whom she would access power.

Christian Bale (left) stars as Dick Cheney and Amy Adams (right) stars as Lynne Cheney in Adam McKay?s VICE, an Annapurna Pictures release. Credit : Matt Kennedy / Annapurna Pictures.2018 ? Annapurna Pictures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

As Cheney progresses up the ladder of success, there are many of those moments that he sees as a key opportunity to enhance his power, beginning with interning with then Congressman Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carrell), who becomes a mentor. It moves through his own congressional career and into his time in the White House and Defense Department, before heading to the private sector before he found his way to become George W. Bush?s (Sam Rockwell) Vice President. It also shows how Cheney took the opportunity (there that is again) to fill the Bush White House with his people.

Christian Bale (left) as Dick Cheney and Steve Carell (right) as Donald Rumsfeld in Adam McKay?s VICE, an Annapurna Pictures release. Credit : Annapurna Pictures 2018 ? Annapurna Pictures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

McKay has put together a film that constantly surprises us. While much of the film follows the basic plot, there are some twists in the way that the story is told. For example, in one scene the Cheneys have an iambic pentameter pillow-talk discussion of the possibilities of power that would have made Shakespeare jealous. And there are times when a narrator (Jesse Plemons) breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience to add some commentary or teach us about certain concepts such as Unitary Executive Theory. (The narrator?s relationship to the story is kept secret until near the end.) At one point, McKay creates a happy ending and starts rolling credits, but the film is only half done at that point. Through all this there are edited in some scenes of fly fishing (Cheney is an avid fisherman), which seem to symbolize the way he would lure people into a situation and then reel in the power. (And be sure to check out the flies that accompany the credits at the film?s end.)

So what kind of picture does this paint of Cheney (and others in the story)? Is it a political hatchet job? My thought is that for the most part the film portrays Cheney as a generally sympathetic person. He is a good family man. When his daughter comes out as gay, his response is to affirm his love for her. And before accepting to run for Veep, he makes it clear that he won?t run against LGBT rights. (Although later, when his other daughter is running for Congress, that position is set aside in the struggle to win.)

Jesse Plemons as Kurt in Adam McKay?s VICE, an Annapurna Pictures release. Credit : Annapurna Pictures 2018 ? Annapurna Pictures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

But even though he is treated sympathetically, we also see him as willing to do what is needed to achieve more power. Early on, he makes the statement that he would be a ?humble servant to power?. We never see any evidence that he serves anyone or anything other than that. (The story of the temptation of Jesus may be applicable here.)

Christian Bale as Dick Cheney in Adam McKay?s VICE, an Annapurna Pictures release. Credit : Annapurna Pictures 2018 ? Annapurna Pictures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

And when we consider some of the policies that Cheney advanced, we may find that the film serves as a shibboleth that defines orthodoxy of either the right or the left, giving insight into our own understanding of what we want from our leaders. Do we want a strong leader who will never apologize for what they have done? Do we support the kinds of things done in the aftermath of 9/11? We continue to be divided on such issues. I suspect that some who watch this film will have a very different take on it than I did. I think that is especially true when we consider the final scene, as Cheney is doing a TV interview and himself breaks the fourth wall to turn to us and deliver a final aside.

As to the idea that this is a liberal political hatchet job, the film itself addresses that in a coda (another reason to stay for the credits) that explicitly makes that charge. Here too I think there is a bit of a chance for each viewer to think of their own reaction to the film and to the political situation it speaks to.

Hostiles – Journey Between Life and Death

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?When we lay our heads down out here, we?re all prisoners.?

In Scott Cooper?s new western Hostiles, the cowboy-and-Indian genre is used to consider the power that prejudices hold over us. But it also gives a glimpse of the possibility of reconciliation that can overcome even lifelong animosities.

Cavalry Captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) is a former war hero. He now spends his day chasing down renegade bands of Comanches and bringing them to jail. He?s due to retire, but instead he is assigned a public relations mission?to escort a dying Comanche chief to his ancestral lands in Montana. Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) has been imprisoned in New Mexico for decades. Now dying of cancer, he is granted permission from the President to return to Montana with his family (who will again be imprisoned after his death).

Blocker wants nothing to do with this. Yellow Hawk has killed many of his friends through the years. But when threatened with a court-martial and loss of his pension, he reluctantly agrees. Blocker and a small detachment set out on the journey that will be a bit like The Odyssey with various trials and dangers on the way.

Soon after they leave, they come across a homestead that has recently been attacked by a band of Comanches. Only the wife/mother, Rosalee Quinn (Rosamund Pike), survived the attack. She is near catatonic watching over her ?sleeping? children. Blocker brings her along on the way to the next fort. The women of Yellow Hawk?s family share their clothes with Rosalee, the first act of compassion by either side. As the journey progresses there will be much that gives those on each side insight into the life of the others.

The most obvious theme of the film is the way racism and prejudice have been central in our national understanding. The attitudes with which Blocker and his cohort, and Yellow Hawk and his family view each other is not really as persons but rather as stereotypes. It is only as they slowly see each other?s strengths and weaknesses that they begin to see the common humanity. But even with racism so front and center, the film also subverts our ideas. One of Blocker?s party is African-American, a buffalo soldier with whom Blocker has served for some time.

But there are also deeper conversations to be drawn from the film. This is a story that is permeated with death. Yellow Hawk is dying. Rosalee?s family is already dead. Death can come upon them in many forms at any moment. The soldiers (as well as Yellow Hawk and his son Black Hawk (Adam Beach)) are all trained in killing. Death is seen as loss, as tragedy, as inevitable, as fulfillment, as an escape, and as punishment at various points of the film. Killing may happen as a necessity, as desperation, or as an act of anger and revenge.

As we study the various characters in the film, we may well see signs of what is now recognized as Post Traumatic Stress and Moral Injury. After an early encounter, a young Lieutenant (Jesse Plemons) is disturbed because this was his first time to kill a man. Master Sergeant Metz (Rory Cochrane) tells him that after enough killing, you don?t feel anything. The lieutenant responds, ?That?s what I?m afraid of.? MSgt Metz and Blocker, both long time Cavalry soldiers exhibit signs of ?melancholia??they are weary of all the killing and of all the men that they have lost.

The paradox of the film is that it simultaneously is a journey from life to death and a journey from death to life. Yellow Hawk grows more ill as the journey progresses. There are various deaths along the way from a variety of reasons. Few of those who set out will make it to the end. But there is also movement in the other direction. Those who are dead on the inside find a chance for new life if they are willing to seek it. It is this hope that makes Hostiles more than just a rehash of the exploitive history of the American West. It allows the story to reflect the conflicts that continue to fill our culture and if we will choose to see them as journeys of death or towards life and fullness.

Photos courtesy Yellow Hawk, Inc.

TIFF Hits: BLACK MASS

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Johnny Depp is back.

At least that’s what everyone is saying.

In some ways, it’s odd to think of Depp being ‘back’ when he never really went away. Certainly, he remains?beloved by people around the globe (especially evidenced in?the borderline chaos that erupted when he arrived in Toronto). Although,it’s fair to say that, by filling up his time with Tim Burton films and the Pirates franchise, the actor hasn’t really had a role to sink his teeth into over the past few years.

With?Black Mass, that trend has changed dramatically.

Taking place in 1970s Boston, Black Mass tells the true story of James “Whitey” Bulger (Depp), the infamous crime lord. ?Approached by FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), Bulger is convinced to form an alliance with?the agency in order to bring down the Italian mob. As their unholy alliance begins to spiral out of control, Bulger increases in his power, becoming one of the most infamous gangsters in U.S. history.

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Deftly directed by relative newcomer Scott Moore,?Black Mass is a dark exploration of the nature of evil. Backed by a solid script, he depicts Boston with?grainy, bland colours reminiscent of 70s noir thrillers that remind us this is a world with a neutralized sense of morality. Most importantly though,?Depp’s performance as Bulger creates a hurricane of chaos in the lives of the other characters, pulling them deeper into his own darkness. However, even though Bulger is clearly?a man to be feared, he also maintains a human side that never quite disappears. Even in his darkest moments, Bulger is (mostly)?seen?as a man of loyalty to his family and friends.

With a performance as strong as Depp’s, one might imagine that supporting players would fade into the background. However, the film is also buoyed by strong performances by Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons and (even) Dakota Johnson. (Incidentally, Edgerton really takes things up a notch as conflicted Agent Connolly. Called to play a man who is torn between loyalty to Bulger and the law, he attacks the role and (almost) steals a scene or two from Depp.)

Even so, it’s Jimmy’s?world–and the rest are caught up in it.

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At it’s heart,?Mass?uses it’s characters to explore?the relationship between humanity and evil. For instance, through Bulger, the narrative asks whether he is?an example of evil incarnate or merely a broken man who was the victim of a darkened world.?Meanwhile, through characters such as Connolly and William Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch), the film asks whether or not it is possible to associate with darkness without being pulled inside yourself. In?Black Mass, there is no clear sense of good or evil as the lines between them begin to blur. This depiction of sinful humanity reminds us that, if we are left to our own devices, redemption needs to come from outside ourselves.

Black Mass?is sure to be in the conversation come Oscar season, not only as a film but definitely for Depp’s performance. This is the type of role that reminds us of his incredible talent when given material that suits him.

After all, it’s Depp’s world–and the rest of us are caught up in it.

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Black Mass

Starring Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch

d. Scott Moore

Rated R for violence, language

****1/2 (out of 5)