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First Cow Review

By Matthew Passantino

An Udder Delight

The majesty of director Kelly Reichardt's work is in presenting a movie that appears mundane and making it riveting in its quietest moments. Her latest, "First Cow," fits neatly within her oeuvre but still feels like a singular work from a gifted filmmaker.

Admittedly, however, Reichardt's films are not for everyone. They require patience and move with a purpose. She is so focused on the characters she creates and puts on the screen that she doesn't want to rush any moment, even if it appears unimportant. To Reichardt, every second of her characters' lives is important. Her gift as a filmmaker is to show us why reveling in the simplicity of a movie is, in fact, necessary. "First Cow" isn't likely to convert those unfamiliar to Reichardt's work and that's a shame because is another work of beauty.

John Magaro stars as Cookie, a professional cook, who finds himself traveling with fur trappers in Oregon, trying to get by on scarce means. When starvation sets in, Cookie becomes the target of the trappers because they know his ability to make something great out of anything.

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Along the way, Cookie runs into a Chinese man named King Lu (Orion Lee), who is on the run. They set forth together and create a way to make large sums of money. The first cow in the territory arrives from San Francisco, which is like the greatest luxury anyone could have come across. The cow even enters the movie floating down the river on raft like royalty. Cookie and King Lu devise the plan to take some of the cow's milk each night, create delicious treats, and sell them.

"First Cow" works as an offbeat tale of friendship on the open road. Cookie is a simple man, content to make food out of anything he can find. His partnership with King Lu presents juxtaposition, as King Lu is a bit more adventurous in his endeavors. The screenplay is far too smart to make them a wisecracking, mismatched pair. They learn to exist together and unite on a common goal.

Reichardt shoots many of the scenes in wide shots, which invites us in to live on the land with the characters. Even at a distance, we can soak in the land, feel the dirt on our shoes and live as Cookie and King Lu do. It's a skillful way to engage an audience with the quiet, often silent, narrative that happens throughout the film. The way she frames the story, which is revealed in the opening scene, is only punctuated by the final frame. Reichardt knows how to make a small town or western frontier come to life.

What did you think?

Movie title First Cow
Release year 2020
MPAA Rating PG-13
Our rating
Summary The latest from director Kelly Reichardt is another work of beauty from this gifted filmmaker.
View all articles by Matthew Passantino
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