Killers of the Flower Moon
★★★★
Martin Scorsese has become extremely patient in his old age. Much will be made about the length of Killers of the Flower Moon, but I think it was necessary to give credence to the weight of this story. We really grow with these characters, especially in the relationship between Ernest and Mollie Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone), so when everything comes together in this crime story, there is an emotional wallop that can't be ignored. It's a beautiful and crisp film which should come as no surprise from a master like Scorsese. He brings a newfound steadiness to the pace which allows the story to breathe. For every tense scene or moment of brutality, there is a quiet and even-killed scene that draws all these characters together. At this point in history, it's not shocking to see the white man taking what isn't rightfully theirs. But with the Killers of the Flower Moon, Scorcese points the spotlight back on us asking why as a society, we keep letting travesties like this happen.
As invested as I was, there were moments that took me out the story. Despite a well-rounded cast, there were some cameo appearances that were completely unnecessary and there is a fire that burns for way too long (we get they symbolism Marty). But DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro are still excelling with Scorsese at the helm. You'll also be blown away by Gladstone's performance whose quietness says so much more than the blabbering of the white men that have settled into her ancestors's territory.
Though I had some minor quibbles, this is an amazing tribute to the Osage story. It's an important story to tell despite being a big stain on America's history. It's an epic portrait of greed and swindling and if this is Scorsese's swan song (and I hope it isn't), it'd be quite a grand way to go out.
