The Power of the Dog

94%

Tomatometer

365 Reviews

76%

Audience Score

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? Read More Read Less

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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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The Power of the Dog | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

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

The Power of the Dog | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Jourdain Searles

Bitch Media

A brutal meditation on masculinity.

Apr 1, 2022

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The Power of the Dog | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

Cumberbatch is the catalyst and a terrifying one, but there are layers to Phil's relationship with his brother, sister-in-law, nephew, himself, and figures from the past, that Campion peels away and reveals so deliberately and subtly.

Rated: 4.5/5

Mar 4, 2022

Full Review

The Power of the Dog | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

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

The Power of the Dog | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

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

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The Power of the Dog | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

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

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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 0.5/5 Stars • 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 3.5/5 Stars • 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 5/5 Stars • 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 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/21/22 Full Review Jerry The actors were good.Didn't like the story line. Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/21/22 Full Review Liz Authentic and realistic storyline Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/18/22 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Jane Campion Director Benedict Cumberbatch Phil Burbank Kirsten Dunst Rose Jesse Plemons George Burbank Kodi Smit-McPhee Peter Thomasin McKenzie Lola

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The Power of the Dog

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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