First Cow [SGIFF2020]

Kelly Reichardt directed and co-wrote First Cow, a surprisingly entertaining frontier Western based on an unlikely story idea that was simply and effective told. It was a story about friendship and hardship, and about survival and dreams. It never felt as long as its 121 minutes run time suggested as Reichardt's storytelling and pacing was precise, and its two leads, John Magaro and Orion Lee, were captivating. Especially Magaro who turned in a soulful and sensitive performance. Together, all three of them delivered an emotional heartfelt tale chronicling the American Dream. And by golly, that cow is pretty.

Reichardt's film started off by introducing the leads to us and to each other with very little exposition but mostly establishing their character through actions, behaviour and snippets of backstory. Her way of storytelling respects the audience with nary a moment of dumbed down expository rife in contemporary Hollywood blockbusters. As the kids say these day, IYKYK. 

The film ran through a gamut of emotions as it followed the two men as they eked out a living and chased their dreams. We experienced their anxieties and fears, and their hopes and delights. And through it all, Reichardt sprinkled the film with a light dusting of humour just to keep it all from being too bleak and dour. The frontier life was not always the brightest of places to be. 

Magaro, at times looking like Shia Labeouf, was a standout with his portrayal of an atypical frontier man. He was a protagonist that we were rooting for to succeed and hoping that the prologue did not foreshadow his fate. And therein also laid the strength of Reichardt's storytelling whereby she daftly maneuvered - manipulated? - us to consider what that enigmatic prologue could have meant. Furthermore, that fade-to-black ending with no definite resolution may not necessarily be as bleak as it seemed but could also be viewed as hopeful and optimistic.

First Cow was an unexpectedly original film that defied initial expectations. It was superbly directed by a confident storyteller and anchored by two interesting and charismatic leads resulting in a wholly entertaining and captivating adventure.