Killers of the Flower Moon

 Killers of the Flower Moon

This is a true story and I recommend searching Wikipedia as background. This is a harsh and brutal story. The Osage Indians are  murdered and victimized by white residents jealous of their wealth  from oil revenue. This story does not have the full weight oi history it deserves. It took place in Fairfax Oklahoma a few years before the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1923. Both incidents involved white animus against minorities of wealth.

The first half of the movie is slow. Character relationships are established and a number of murders are committed without being investigated. Some scenes are graphic and gruesome. In the latter half of the film, after about an hour and a half, it becomes more interesting when the Bureau of Investigation (forerunners of the FBI) come to investigate the murders. Jesse Plemons is the lead investigator. He is  laconic and unflappable.

Leo Di Caprio plays against type. His character Ernest Burkhart is a spineless weasel manipulated by his uncle William King Hale played by Robert Di Nero. Di Caparo’s character is complex. He freely commits crimes against the Osage  but he has genuine affection for his wife and children. He says more than once in the film, he loves money. Whatever soul he had; he sacrifices it for greed.

For most of the movie Di Nero looked like he is sucking on a lemon. He has a sour puss looking down from rounded rimmed glasses. Di Nero has played tough guy roles so playing King Hale was not a stretch. He was duplicitous  pretending to be a benefactor while masterminding murders to attain wealth.

Lily Gladstone is Mollie Burkhart, Ernest’s wife. Her facial expression for most of the film was consistent. Her emotional highs and lows were narrow. She shows more range when she gets sick. The film features native Indians as actors.

Rotten Tomatoes gave the film 92%, so please do not be dissuaded by this review. This film is a bladder buster at more than three and half hours so sit next to the aisle.

The film cost about $250m with advertising. It has to clear $500m to break even. In the first weekend it made $30m. Apple produced the film so it should be streaming on Apple + at some point.