There are some directors whose every new movie is 'an event', a film we have to seek out and judge for ourselves even if the initial reviews have been less than enthusiastic. We must compare these new films with the director's previous work to see where it sits in the canon. Scorsese is clearly one such director and his gigantic "Killers of the Flower Moon", a marathon at around three and a half hours, is one such 'event'. In some circles it has been called a masterpiece and Scorsese's best film in decades. I don't agree with either of these assessments but it is certainly unmissable in its own right and a remarkable piece of cinematic storytelling.
Based on fact it's about the Native Americans of the Osage tribe who found themselves on oil-rich land making them among the richest people in the country, (even if they were still among the most discriminated against), and of how cattle baron William Hale, (Robert De Niro), their supposed friend and benefactor, sought to take their wealth from them even if it meant killing them off one by one.
However, "Killers of the Flower Moon" is not quite like a Scorsese picture; the pace is stately rather than kinetic and it's often more talkative than visual. There are a few of the director's trademark flourishes such as the customary tracking shots but they don't draw attention to themselves. This is very much a heavily plot-based film and it unfolds more like a novel than a film and one relying heavily on its cast.
The central roles are played by Scorsese regulars Leonardo DiCaprio and De Niro and newcomer Lily Gladstone. DiCaprio is the nephew returned from war, a heavy drinker and a weak-willed man, who will do anything for his uncle De Niro, including murder. He's a dour character and DiCaprio plays him dourly. There is no boyish charm on display, (even at age 48 DiCaprio still looks boyish), and while he is more than adequate in the role he still feels miscast, maybe a little too 'modern' for a man of the time. De Niro, on the other hand, is magnificent. In his case this really is his best work in decades, a smiling villain as finely drawn as any created by Shakespeare and he is surely a front runner for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
The most difficult role, however, is Gladstone's. She is the rich Osage woman that DiCaprio must woo, marry and dispose of. In the first half of the film she clearly has the upper hand, taking the initiative and using her sexuality to her advantage while in the second half she begins to fade into the background yet must continue to make an impression; she must remain the film's centre of attention and this Gladstone does beautifully.
Indeed, in a large cast there are several outstanding supporting performances from the likes of Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Scott Shepherd, Ty Mitchell and country singers Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson and they ensure the tale flows freely and never feels like its length. It may not be the best of Scorsese's films or the late masterpiece we might have been hoping for; it feels too 'matter-of-fact' and despite its length almost too constrained by the weight of its subject matter but it is still essential viewing, an 'event' movie worthy of the name. It also has probably the best last ten minutes of any movie you are likely to see this year.
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