A24 have been responsible for some of the most out-there films over the last few years. I still remember leaving Midsommar and requiring a pint to gather my thoughts on what on Earth I’d just seen. And now they’re back again with First Cow, based on the novel The Half Life, by Jon Raymond, who also writes the screenplay here. Set in Oregon in the 1800s and starring John Margaro and Orion Lee, how does Kelly Reichardt’s latest film stack up?
John Margaro plays the role of Cookie as he journeys to Oregon and joins up with a group of fur trappers. Here he meets King Lu (Lee), and the two collaborate on a business idea. However, their business is entirely reliant on a wealthy landowner (played by Toby Jones) and his cow.
It’s an interesting story being told here, with the focus on the friendships at play to make this believable dynamic and I found myself really intrigued as to how each scene would unfold the narrative at play. It’s not one that I thought would be a strength of the film going into it but was a pleasant surprise by how good it was.
This is enhanced by strong performances from all of the cast. They’re a joy to watch and the chemistry between everyone, from the fur trappers to the (as always) incredible Toby Jones are fantastic. First Cow even brings Ewen Bremmer into this. With him staring in this, it is only the cherry on top of an already well-stacked casting.
The real main strength of First Cow however is in its cinematography. The film is dripping in gorgeous shot after shot. Christopher Blauvelt turns a blank canvas into the Mona Lisa here, and his work as director of photography is a beast to behold when watched on a big TV from the comfort of the sofa.
But there are some interesting creative choices made here. The choice of having the film be presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio is somewhat odd at first with its side black bars. It’s a little bit jarring coming from watching mainly widescreen films and then jumping into First Cow.
However, this is a choice I ended up loving. First Cow distinguishes itself from our own audience expectations, making it feel unique and distinct. And if anything that’s what A24 films all about, being distinct from anything else on the market.
One decision I wasn’t so keen on was the application of digital film grain. It’s a well done effect, don’t get me wrong on this, however, makes me question as to why not just shoot on film in the first place. The film perfectly lends itself for 35mm and is somewhat odd why this wasn’t taken advantage of.
However, that doesn’t take away from how great First Cow was as an experience. The performances from all of the actors and actresses are really great, coupled with incredible cinematography to create one of the best experiences on offer at this years Glasgow Film Festival.
First Cow is now showing now as part of the Glasgow Film Festival, find out more here
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