“First Cow” is very much a Kelly Reichardt movie. That will be the deciding factor as to whether or not you want to give this movie a shot. Reichardt, bless her maverick heart, is one of the great American filmmakers of the last ten years, what with a track record that speaks for itself ("Wendy and Lucy," "Meek's Cutoff," "Certain Woman") and a contemplative, minimalist and distinctive style that is meant to purposely isolate mainstream audiences. With "First Cow," Reichardt is returning to the old West of ‘Meek,’ by loosely, very loosely, adapting Jonathan Raymond’s novel “This Half-Life.” It’s a hard movie not to respect, melancholic in nature, as it tackles male friendship, companionship, at the frontier.
Starring John Magaro (“Orange Is the New Black”) and Orion Lee (“Critical”), “First Cow” will be released on March 6, 2020, by A24. The film had subtle bows last year at the Telluride Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. I wrote in my review:
“If it does feel slight at times, the setup is meant to test the viewer’s patience for eventual and multiple dramatic payoffs — it slowly but surely sneaks up on you and gets you invested in the fates of its two lead characters. However, there isn’t enough meat to its bones to make it a Reichardt standout, much like her 2013 film “Night Moves,” the assured and meticulously planned mise-en-scene can sometimes feel a little too on-the-nose to replicate the stunning impact of her first-rate works.”
Here is the official synopsis:
A loner and cook (John Magaro) has traveled west and joined a group of fur trappers in Oregon Territory, though he only finds connection with a Chinese immigrant (Orion Lee). The men collaborate on a business, although its longevity is reliant upon the participation of a wealthy landowner’s prized milking cow.