First Cow (2020)

I've heard First Cow described as and anti-western western. Westerns are often a reinforcement of values such as individualism and masculinity, as well as colonialism and white supremacy. This film, set in the 1800s, centres two men who quite clearly violate the traditional takes on masculinity and whiteness. One is of Asian descent and the other exhibits qualities many might identify with as being feminine. He's a care giver, a cook, not a fighter. The two of them embark on a business making plan and pay a serious price for it, asking us to question our assumptions not only about capitalism, but about American history.

Director Reighhardt is used to upending our expectations and focusing on characters on the margins. This film embraces that by painting a fairly queer (if not explicitly so) story set in the historical fiction of the American past. He film style hasn't changed, she remains stylistically rather restrained while subverting narrative tropes, while telling a very compelling story. She maybe drags things a bit in the middle, but the first and third acts are very strong and not only drive home her points but get us invested in her heroes and their story.

Beautiful and filled with a delicious sense of mystery, First Cow is fascinating as are the performances of the leads Lee and Magaro. It all comes together in a refreshing spin on an old style.

First Cow
Starring: John Magaro, Orion Lee, Toby Jones, Rene Auberjonois
Director: Kelly Reighardt
Writers: Anish Savjani, Kelly Reighardt