Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog, now streaming exclusively on Netflix, is a poignant and powerful experience with a truly surprising conclusion. And since the Western psychological drama film has garnered 12 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, it seems its audience will grow at an exponential rate.
Fortunately for those who love Campion's film, there are similar narratives out there to rent or own. Whether they're other intense Westerns, movies about tumultuous sibling relationships, or revenge pieces, The Power of the Dog is not the first film of its kind.
Updated Feb 23rd, Linden Hicks: The Power of the Dog is a western like few others. The themes of self-reliance, revenge, and toxic masculinity are not new to the genre, but come together throughout the film in unique ways. This film is achieving such high praise in no small part to the incredible performances by all actors involved - Benedict Cumberbatch is a leading choice for Best Actor. The themes and setting, alongside incredible actors and actresses, come together to create a stellar western that advances and deepens the genre.
No Country For Old Men (2007)
- Available to stream on HBO Max
It's a classic western story - a man chasing a man who is chasing a man. After stealing millions from a shootout, a criminal is chased by a hitman, and both are pursued by a lawman. perfect modern western, and No Country for Old Men is perhaps one of the most highly rated westerns of all time.
Mother (2009)
- Available to stream on Prime and Hulu
Bong Joon-Ho's Mother is far from a western, but the core study of a mother-son relationship places these films close together. In Mother, a son is accused of murdering a young woman. His mother goes to deep and dark lengths in order to prevent him from going to jail. What is important to both films is the nature of family and the bonds we have with them - and what we are willing to do for those closest to us. Both Bong Joon-Ho and Jane Compion are skillful directors who are able to coax out the most intimate performances from their actors. If those who aren't a fan of westerns, this film may be more palatable in its style and setting.
God’s Own Country (2017)
- Available to stream on Hulu
Another story of men finding love with one another, God's Own Country is a must-see. Johnny Saxby is a man struggling to maintain his father's farm while taking care of both his father and grandmother - but his life changes when Gheorghe, a migrant worker, arrives offering aid.
These films are both focused on the inherent loneliness of men who have dire burdens, as well as the urge to find tender moments in a world devoid of kindness.
The Revenant (2015)
- Available to rent on Apple TV+
A brutal tale of revenge, The Revenant follows DiCaprio's Hugh Glass after he survives an attack that kills his son and leaves him for dead. The real-life frontiersman has had hundreds of stories told about him, each more legendary than the next. This 'idealized western man' provides an excellent backdrop to nearly all westerns - this is the height of idealized masculinity. Glass is the man that Phil would be in another life, but where the former is driven by revenge his society s, the other is driven by sexuality his society despises.
The Card Counter (2021)
• Available to rent on Apple TV+
The Card Counter stars Oscar Isaac as William Tell, master gambler and former serviceman trained to torture. When he teams up with the young Cirk (Tye Sheridan), he finds more purpose in his life than counting cards and regretting his military misdeeds.
Like The Power of the Dog, The Card Counter has a non-familial bonding relationship. In Campion's film, antagonist Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) takes his sister-in-law's son under his wing. However, it's mostly done out of spite, as if his mentorship of her son is a direct attack on her.
Let Him Go (2020)
• Available to stream on HBO Max
Arguably one of Kevin Costner's best movies, Let Him Go saw the actor playing a retired sheriff who, along with his wife (Diane Lane), tries to save their grandson from his new stepdad's cruel, violent family.
Let Him Go holds several major similarities with The Power of the Dog. It's a neo-western that doesn't rigidly adhere to just that genre. Like 2022's Oscar nominee, the Costner-Lane movie has a heavy focus on familial interpersonal dynamics and the power of a negative influence.
Slow West (2015)
• Available to stream on Showtime
Slow West tells the story of bounty hunter Silas Selleck (Michael Fassbender) who is employed by Scottish teen Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-Mhee) to find the boy's lost love, Rose. However, Selleck forms plans of his own once he sees Rose's face on a wanted poster. But even a hardened criminal like him can grow a heart.
Slow West bears several major similarities to the new Western starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, and Jesse Plemons. First and foremost is the shared casting of Kodi Smit-Mhee, who in both films is guided by an older but not necessarily wiser individual. Second is its belonging to the neo-Western subgenre, and third is an unexpected conclusion. Little-seen but well worth a viewing, Slow West is the type of movie that deserves a growing audience.
Django Unchained (2012)
• Available to stream on Netflix
The plot of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained follows the enslaved titular character (Jamie Foxx) as he's freed by an eccentric bounty hunter slash dentist named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Together they journey to meet Calvin Candie, a sadistic slave owner with a penchant for pitting men together in brutal, to-the-death fights.
Like how The Power of the Dog is a Western that engages in genre-blending, so too did Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. While Tarantino's film skews a little more comedic, it's still a neo-Western.
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (2007)
• Available to stream on Roku
Andrew Dominik's stunningly constructed The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a masterclass on creating a memorable Western epic. The plot follows Robert and Charley Ford (Casey Affleck and Sam Rockwell), new recruits to Jesse James' (Brad Pitt) gang.
The title of the film sheds light on its similarity to The Power of the Dog. On top of being a modern Western, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford covers the themes of tutelage and betrayal.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
• Available to stream on Netflix
Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood tells the story of Daniel Plainview, a callous silver miner who hopes to strike oil in California. Along with his adopted son, he cultivates the image of a friendly and honest businessman when, in fact, he's far from it.
The similarities between There Will Be Blood and The Power of the Dog are so striking that even Benedict Cumberbatch compared the two. He puts it well, more or less saying that the two films are about transition and people's ability, or inability, to accept the change. Furthermore, the films' visual aesthetics are absolutely stunning.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
• Available to rent on Apple TV+
Brokeback Mountain told the story of lovers Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger). Twist, a rodeo cowboy, and Del Mar, a ranch hand, are hired to serve as sheepherders for months on end. Before long, they realize that love is right in front of them, even if society will seemingly never understand.
Ang Lee's and modern Western movies like it push the gunslinging genre into new directions. The main similarity both films share is the focus on homophobia. While Lee's film focused on a same-sex relationship in a direct manner, Campion's more subtly shows a man who represses his own feelings and lashes out at those who do not.
Open Range (2003)
• Available to rent on Hulu
Open Range follows Robert Duvall's Boss Spearman and his cowhand, Charley (Kevin Costner), as they drive cattle across the majority of the United States.
The 2003 Western puts a great deal of focus on the cattle drive, which is in and of itself a similarity to The Power of the Dog. While the latter focuses on what happens after a cattle drive, the profession still informs the audience that the lead characters can get their hands dirty in some grueling work. Furthermore, there's also a revenge element that guides the third act of Open Range, which can also be said of Campion's film.
The Piano (1993)
• Available to stream on Showtime
The Power of the Dog wasn't Campion's first film, and it has some competition of being her most revered. The kiwi auteur wrote and directed The Piano, a period drama about a mute woman, Ada McGrath, who communicates via her beautiful piano playing. Along with gorgeous cinematography and excellent performances from Holly Hunter, Sam Neill, and Harvey Keitel, the film is blessed with an Oscar-winning, flabbergastingly mature performance from a 12-year-old Anna Paquin, in one of her best movies.
The main drive in the plot is Ada's arranged marriage, and her taking her daughter, Flora (Paquin), on a long journey to begin it. Along with its Campion connection, The Power of the Dog's narrative begins because a journey has ended. Specifically, a cattle drive, which leaves the film's protagonist and antagonist brothers in a new town.
Hud (1963)
• Available to stream on Pluto TV
Hud follows Paul Newman's Hud Bannon, an arrogant and sexist unemployed man who lives on his father's Texas cattle ranch. His nephew, Lonnie, initially blames Hud for the car crash that killed his father, Hud's brother. In time, though, similarities between the uncle and nephew start to bloom.
The relationship between Hud and Lonnie is the main connection to The Power of the Dog. Just as Hud is a terrible influence, so is Phil. However, Hud adds the tension of competition, as both Hud and Lonnie hold affection for the family housekeeper.
