Oscar Time !!
PRAISE: After watching a documentary about The Osage Indian murders I wondered how much Director Martin Scorsese and co writer Eric Roth would put in his film about this haunting true story and the people that inhabit it. Would he try to romanticize it in some way.
He captures it ,presents it in a way that's stunning and unnerving. One of the things that really stood out was the casual attitude certain people had about committing the murders to obtain land that had been given to the Osage people after the Indian wars that soon began springing oil. For some it wasn't enough to be "money managers" for them. They wanted it all,by any means necessary.
The film is filled with unflinching performances laced with raw emotion.
Deniro gives one of his best performances ever as William King Hale a cold and calculating man,basically a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Leonardo DiCaprio does a great job as Ernest Burkhardt Hales nephew. I think people will be conflicted like I was when it comes to his character charming at first but was he ever sincere ? Watching the aforementioned documentary makes me lean towards that he was at times but his loyalty to his Uncle overwhelmed everything else.As
Mollie, Lily Gladstone turns in a quiet but beautiful performance ,it's one that displays a lot with just a touch, a look and a smile. Praise to Jesse Plemons as a BOI agent who would lead the investigation into the Osage murders, and Tantoo Cardinal as Mollies mother.Scorsese displays that classic feel of films from the past. The film is laced with soul stirring imagery and facts about what happened to the Osage people.
I think Scorsese really captures how stunningly sinister people were and willing and able to dive into their darker sides of human nature. Having the insane rationale that the murders of the Osage people was balanced out by the things that were provided for them.
Even with all of the grimness and sobering moments there are still celebrations of Indian culture woven in.
PROBLEMS: I wish more had been added to the film about the unsolved murders of the Osage people
Scale of 1 to 10 a 9
One of the best films of 2023