The Biggest Reason to See ‘ Killers of the Flower Moon’

Advertisement

This Week

A truly spectacular acting performance.

Eight minutes of heartwarming joy.

The most charming celebrity interview.

Millie Bobby Brown said what?

Martin Scorsese speaks for the people.

Oscar Voters Better Pay Attention

I recently violated one of my core values: I willingly saw a film that was three-and-a-half hours long.

It is one of my foundational beliefs, one that I hold as deeply as things like “you probably shouldn’t murder someone,” that, c’mon, no movie needs to be that long. The major commandments: Thou shall not lie; thou shall not kill; and thou shalt get serious with that ridiculous runtime.

Yes, I saw Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese’s new $200-million film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro that hits theaters this weekend. It’s not the first time I’ve slipped. I also, while of sound mind, purchased a ticket and sat in a theater to watch all three hours (and nine seconds) of Oppenheimer this summer. What’s more, contrary to everything I thought I knew about myself and the world, I quite enjoyed both experiences.

Well, “enjoyed” may be generous, especially in the case of Flower Moon, which did, to me, feel every bit of three-and-a-half hours long. (To those who say “it flew by,” I ask you: How long have you been a pathological liar?) But if there is something to be grateful for with this self-indulgent expansive runtime, it’s that it affords us the opportunity to spend so much time with one of the most fascinating characters I’ve seen in film this year, and the actress who plays her. If there’s any justice, we’ll all be talking about Lily Gladstone’s stunning turn in Flower Moon not just this award season, but for a long time.

Based on the book by David Grann, Killer of the Flower Moon centers on a spate of horrific murders that occurred within Oklahoma’s Osage Nation in the 1920s, which took place after oil was found on tribal land and opportunist white speculators moved in. It would take years of the Osage people pleading to the government for a real, uncorrupt investigation to take place and for the nascent FBI to get involved—the bureau’s first big case.

De Niro plays William Hale, who is fittingly referred to by everyone as “King,” considering how he lords over the town’s business affairs and has earned what seems to be unwavering, if misguided, trust from the Osage people. When his nephew Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives home from the war looking for a fresh start, King heartily endorses Ernest’s plans to marry Mollie Burkhart (Gladstone), a well-respected Osage woman whose family happens to be worth a fortune in oil money.

As the local murder tally increases, the conspiracy orchestrated by King starts to reveal itself, the specifics of which might constitute “spoilers” (though this is history) and would take an incredible amount of time to run through (again, this is a three-and-a-half hour film). Complicated threads of unspeakable tragedy, greed, delusion, justice, love, and family tangle throughout the film into a series of knots. Challenging as the film may be, an emotional pulse moves it forward like the beat of a steady drum—and that’s largely thanks to Gladstone’s work.

There will be inevitable pronouncements that this is some of the best work in DiCaprio and De Niro’s respective careers. My take: Are they that good, or is it just fun to watch Leo and Bob do new accents? That’s why I hope Gladstone gets the spotlight she deserves. Her work in projects like the 2016 indie Certain Women and FX’s Reservation Dogs has been celebrated, but this is the kind of showcase that reveals new levels to a performer’s talent and can make new stars.

Mollie may be Flower Moon’s most complex character. She is revered while still looked at as a prize to be claimed, given her beauty and potential inheritance. It’s fascinating to watch the ways in which she commands control, as she does at the start of her relationship with Ernest, and other times relinquishes it to fate—as if her power is at war with her knowledge of her place in the world as a Native woman. She bears the emotional toll of unspeakable atrocities, alternately absorbing them and dispelling them in one of the most human ways I’ve seen on screen: When do you carry the weight of your heartbreak and anger; when do you use it to light a fire to fight; and when do you pretend it doesn’t exist, so you can survive?

Gladstone’s performance is often still and quiet, so when there are outbursts, even small ones, they’re thrilling—almost seismic. A flirtatious giggle roars with joy and passion. A wail of despair is deafening, embedding in your bones, so you never forget the pain. And when Gladstone and DiCaprio have their most charged conversation, one of very few words, each short delivery explodes like dynamite.

That quiet allows Mollie to observe and piece together what is happening around her. Gladstone develops an intimate, yet mysterious rapport with the audience. You feel invited in, to guess how much she knows; in a way, she’s almost challenging you to reveal the truth yourself. So as the film progresses and her character makes certain decisions—and certain decisions seem to be made for her—you’re impressed by her agency and feel sad for her moments of resignation. For a Native woman at the time, Mollie appears to be charting a line toward progress. In the end, the ink gets a little smudged.

In a recent interview with one of the film’s language consultants, Osage member Chistopher Cote, he expressed his “strong opinions” that the film wasn’t from Mollie’s perspective. “It would take an Osage to do that,” he said. (Watch it here.) I think that’s what also makes Gladstone’s performance so important: She finds a way to demand that your focus turn to her in every scene, asserting that you give Mollie the dignity that her place in this sprawling story is owed.

If Gladstone is nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, the category which the studio is campaigning her for, she’ll make history as the first Native American nominee. Even more than that, she’ll make history as a rare example of the Academy finally getting things right.

Finally, a Nice Thing!

I think that if Hercules were around today, one of his labors would be “don’t be cynical for 15 minutes,” and he would just shrug those bulging, muscular shoulders and be like, “You know what, Eurystheus? It was a good run. Slaying the lion was one thing. This one…I can’t make miracles happen.”

Well bless my soul, because I guess ol’ Herc pulled it off. He is one of over 100 Disney characters who appear together in the new Disney short film Once Upon a Studio, which was released this week on Disney+ to commemorate the studio’s 100-year anniversary. There’s been several reasons to roll my eyes over this occasion; in addition to nostalgia and celebration, Disney capitalized on the occasion by raising prices for its streaming service and theme park. But then I watched Once Upon a Studio, and my frozen heart melted. (I always did love that power lesbian Elsa.)

The short has a wonderfully simple premise. The halls of the Roy E. Disney Animation building are lined with production cels from the studio’s movies. Legendary Disney animator Burny Mattinson is leaving the office for the day and says, “If these walls could talk…” When he’s gone, the characters burst from their frames and race through the halls as Mickey exasperatingly tries to corral them all for a 100th anniversary photo.

Moana surfaces from the ocean, and catches Flounder when he emerges. Merlin, Cogsworth, and the Mad Hatter are chatting at the coffee bar, while Mrs. Potts pours a spot of tea. Chicken Little, Gaston, Prince John, Doc the Dwarf, Thomas O’Malley, and the Brooklyn twink from Atlantis: The Lost Empire (edit: apparently his name Milo) are in the men’s bathroom, where the Cheshire Cat pranks them. Donald Duck gets peeved about having to hold the elevator door for the slow-moving DMV sloth from Zootopia.

Because the short uses archival recordings in addition to new material from iconic voice actors, Robin Williams’ Genie and Josh Gad’s Olaf get to pal around, too. “I haven’t seen a fall like that since Rome,” Genie quips after startling Olaf, confirming that even the Genie regularly thinks about the Roman Empire.

It’s just all so…nice. A singalong to “When You Wish Upon a Star” is so corny that it works, especially when the final title card flashes across the screen at the end: “To all who have imagined with us, laughed with us, and dreamed with us, thank you.” No, you cried.

Can I Be Their Friend?

I’m aware that what I’m about to say sounds like an exaggeration, but that’s how much I mean it: Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez, and Daniel Radcliffe’s “Lie Detector” video for Vanity Fair is the most charming celebrity interview I have ever seen. I will not be revealing how many times I’ve watched it.

The three actors are currently starring in the Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along, which I hear is sensational and have (very expensive) tickets to see next week. The gimmick of the “Lie Detector” video is that they each take a turn in the hot seat while the other two ask lightly embarrassing questions like, “Do you ever Google yourself?” and “Have you ever looked at your fan accounts?” It’s silly and innocuous, and should be boring. But these three are so clearly great friends who genuinely enjoy each other’s company, and they turn the segment into a laugh riot.

Undeniably, the best bit is when Groff is asked about his propensity for spitting while singing, and can’t stop beginning his answer with the unintentionally vulgar, “I get wet…” Trying to describe why it’s so funny doesn’t do it justice, so just watch it yourself and smile for a few minutes. (Watch it here.)

I Didn’t See That Coming

Sometimes I think that modern celebrities are so self-conscious about their image and afraid of being canceled, and are so guarded by their publicists and teams, that they never say anything interesting in interviews anymore. (Unless they’re being interviewed by me, of course. Then never in the history of Hollywood has anyone said anything more fascinating.)

I was proven wrong this week by Stranger Thingsstar Millie Bobby Brown. In an interview with Glamour, she was asked about her journey as a feminist. I wouldn’t expect that to be surprising. However, I was alerted to this by a tweet reporting what she said on the topic, and I promise you I could never have imagined how the sentence would end when I began reading it.

I Stand With Marty

In an interview with the Associated Press, Martin Scorsese spoke about how his creative process involves steering clear of computers and shared his thoughts on emails: “Emails, they scare me. It says ‘CC’ and there are a thousand names. Who are these people?”

Sir, I see you. Seriously, WHO ARE THEY?

More From The Daily Beast’s Obsessed

In an interview with Obsessed, Kelly Clarkson spoke about how, after moving to New York for a fresh start, she’s “actually meaning it” when she smiles. Which is great because, basically, Kelly Clarkson deserves the world. Read more.

Attention, all millennials: The classic Disney Channel Original Movie Halloweentown turns 25 this year (horrifying!). We talked to the team behind it about why it’s such an enduring classic. Read more.

Here’s something useful: Our Obsessed team picked their favorite shows that are airing right now. (Which means you could be watching these very good shows, too!) Read more.

The Persian Version: Fair warning: This Sundance hit will make you want to call your mom. (Now in theaters)

Killers of the Flower Moon: It’s long. It’s good…but it’s long. (Now in theaters)

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Bravo’s hour-long Ozempic commercial is finally back! (Wed. on Bravo)

Old Dads: A comedian complaining about wokeness. Truly groundbreaking. (Now on Netflix)

Like our take on what to watch?
Check out our See Skip newsletter!

Advertisement

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.