Martin Scorsese’s new film runs over three hours but never feels like it. In fact, there are moments when the story moves so quickly that you may be confused about how much time you’ve spent with the characters. Killers of the Flower Moon has so many of the Scorsese trademarks that fans of his work will likely latch onto these elements. While those familiar traits make it a stunning film in many ways, it’s the performances of its stars that truly make the movie a stand-out of the year.
Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives in Oklahoma after serving in World War I to live with his uncle, William Hale (Robert De Niro). Ernest is encouraged to find himself a wife, and he meets Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone) – a member of the Osage Nation – who became some of the richest people in the world overnight after oil was discovered underneath their land. The film focuses closely on the suspicious murders of members of the Osage Nation and the lack of investigations that follow.
While DiCaprio and De Niro rarely disappoint, they are not the highlight of this film. Gladstone gives an absolutely incredible performance full of subtlety and deep emotion. Not only do you believe deeply in the relationship between Ernest and Mollie, but it is her pain at the loss of her people that resonates through the screen and into the depths of your heart. Naturally, aside from Gladstone, you are also getting great performances from the two Scorsese regulars. The film is full of great character actors, and some bigger actors taking on smaller roles to be a part of this film. However, some of those performances aren’t quite on the same level they often would be.
Scorsese knows where to put the camera to get the maximum out of a frame. There are so many moments in this film where the framing of the characters has as much of an impact as the subject of the scene. One particular moment late in the film has a reunion of Earnest and Mollie that is just absolutely gorgeous to look at. While Scorsese’s technical merit is well-renowned, there is something off with the editing in this film. It’s not as easy to pinpoint exactly what it was, but it was noticeable. Perhaps it’s just the pacing, but there were a few cuts that simply felt like the timing was wrong. It’s not enough to derail this powerful film, but it was an element that wasn’t easy to ignore.
It’s too early to tell where Killers of the Flower Moon will fall in the Scorsese filmography, but it feels likely to be quite high. The telling of a true story in the Scorsese way made quite the initial impact. Even if some of the decisions in the storytelling were slightly out of character – particularly the way in which the film concludes – felt more akin to a Wes Anderson movie. Gladstone and the story elevated this film quite a bit for me.
Killers of the Flower Moon is in theaters on October 20.
Rating: Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy
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