★★★★✰
Kelly Reichardt’s highly-anticipated drama arrives in the UK, a year on from its resounding Berlin appearance.
In a career spanning nearly 30 years and six feature films, Kelly Reichardt’s latest might have a resonance of deja-vu. She returns to the familiar setting of 19th century Oregon—the locale of her contemplative yet gripping Western Meek’s Cutoff. Luckily, most of the comparisons stop there. While First Cow slots neatly into Reichardt’s already impressive oeuvre, it’s nonetheless an irresistibly charming film. Gentle in its storytelling but terrifically engaging, it depicts a simple tale about two men seeking prosperity among the American frontier.
Co-written by Reichardt and regular collaborator Jonathan Raymond (Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy, Meek’s Cutoff and Night Moves) and adapted from Raymond’s 2004 novel The Half Life, the story follows lonesome drifter “Cookie” Figorwitz (John Magaro). Cookie is a hired chef for a travelling party of unpleasant fur trappers, who harass him and complain about the lack of food they receive from him on a daily basis.
On their travels, Cookie comes across King-Lu (Orion Lee), a Chinese immigrant hiding in some bushes from Russians who are seeking to kill him. Like many of Reichardt’s protagonists, Cookie and Lu share a sense of loneliness. They are outcasts drifting amongst the margins of American society—but they also subtly share the ideals of The American Dream in their aspiration to become entrepreneurs (Cookie as a baker and Lu as a farmer) and reap the meritocratic rewards of capitalism.
Their chance comes in the form of a cow (Evie), the first one to ever land ashore in Oregon. It’s fallen into the hands of a pompous chief factor (Toby Jones). Thanks to Lu’s cunning initiative and Cookie’s baking skills, the pair devise a prosperous scheme. They secretly milk the cow during the dead of night, using it to make cakes to be sold at the local market. The film delights in letting their plan unfold like a bizarre heist movie and the sight & sound of dough sizzling in a pan will no doubt whet your appetite like the many impatient customers waiting in line.
In her previous work, Reichardt’s hallmark style of minimalist film-making allows the visual aesthetic to act as its own character. First Cow is no different. Returning to the academy aspect ratio (4:3), as well as utilising another frequent collaborator DP Christopher Blauvelt, the cinematography is visually crisp in its warm colour palette of greens and brown when presenting its natural surroundings. Shots linger after characters walk off screen. They take in the gorgeous backdrop to such an extent that the scent of squelching mud and damp wood is almost palpable to smell. Reichardt’s fastidious attention to detail makes the film feel tactile in its setting. On the big screen, it will be undoubtedly more seductive as it already is on a small screen.
In addition to the visual splendour, a crucial strength of the film is its storytelling. In previous films like Meek’s Cutoff, characters can lack an emotional hook. This means that the viewing experience can quickly turn passive and mundane. First Cow largely avoids this trap due to a tightly written script that bears host to a memorable set of characters. Characters held up by some rather delicious performances. John Magaro is brilliant in portraying the social awkwardness but quiet determination of Cookie. Equally, Orion Lee shifts from charismatic market seller to brotherly companion as King-Lu.
However, Toby Jones comes close to a scene-stealer as the chief factor. He swaggers on-screen for the first time donning a Victorian bowler hat and a fancy white cane. It’s clear that he is having plenty of fun as an arrogant aristocrat plundering for the latest commodities. Particularly when words like “clafoutis” and “Froment du Leon” roll off the tongue with such pompous glee. At 120 minutes, the script carefully takes time to establish its cast before launching into the central premise. Although this sacrifices narrative urgency for a soothing pace, it allows later dramatic passages to become much more involving as a viewer.
This leads to the tragic central figure, the titular cow, who is arguably the loneliest out of all of the characters. We learn early on that her husband and calf did not survive the journey to Oregon. While treated fairly well by her new owner, she is still exploited for many of the characters’ self-serving goals.
For Cookie and Fu, she symbolises a passage towards greater prosperity. Cookie’s secret interactions with her are beautifully tender and delicately directed. For the chief factor, the cow is simply seen as a cog in the capitalism machine. A tool for boasting about his supposed cultural and intellectual understanding through the cow’s foreign background and acquisition.
Lastly for the locals, it’s an exotic fascination that offers a glimpse at the wider world. When the animal is first sighted arriving by barge (humorously shot like a royal procession as William Tyler’s score accompanies it with twangy banjos) the locals are in awe of its presence. It’s almost bewildering to believe that a cow can produce such an endearing emotional attachment. Yet, Reichardt’s empathetic approach towards her makes for a genuinely moving depiction of loneliness.
The Verdict
First Cow is another outstanding drama that proudly sits alongside Reichardt’s finest work. At 56 years old, this is a filmmaker in complete control of her visual sensibility and craftwork. Blissfully told in a manner that is utterly gripping, it’s like you’re huddled around the campfire listening to an old fable, as the roaring flames recede into dying embers.
Words by Theo Smith
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