The film is based on the 2017 true crime book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, which depicts the incessant murders of the Osage people in 1920s Oklahoma. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Ernest Burkhart, a dim middle-aged white man who travels to Oklahoma to live with his brother and uncle, William “King” Hale, played by Robert De Niro. Soon after Ernest arrives at his uncle’s cattle ranch, he learns of the Osage community and their lucrative oil rights. Mollie Kyle, played by Lily Gladstone, is an Osage woman whose family has rights to that oil money. King encourages his nephew to woo and marry her to access her family’s wealth. The rest of the film deals with the conniving and killing directed at the Osage community to feed the greed of the opportunistic white interlopers.

Martin Scorsese and co-writer Eric Roth did a good job returning the audience to Ernest and Mollie’s relationship throughout the film. Their new romance is portrayed as budding and innocent during the film’s first quarter. But the audience senses Ernest’s impure motives. Innocence wears off as the film progresses with more focus on family and the dying Osage. “Do you still love me?,” a sickly Mollie asks her husband after sensing an emotional distance. Ernest exemplifies how love cannot, in fact, conquer all. In this case, greed overpowered love from the very beginning. 

Racism also impacts relationship dynamics in the film. Prevalent in Mollie and Ernest’s relationship, it is also present in the majority of white and Osage interactions. King, Ernest’s uncle, is a perfect example. Despite being the mastermind behind Ernest’s ruse with Mollie and her family, he is a leader in the community who has befriended many Osage residents. However, not enough to stop him from betraying them. 

The biggest problem with the film is the representation of the Osage population. In their own story, they were minimized to the point that the story centered around the white power players. This is a story about white men capitalizing on Osage people’s vulnerability. All of the Osage characters, except Mollie, are underdeveloped. Despite this, it is appreciated that this is a film about a hardly discussed chapter of American history. It feels like a step in the right direction for cinema.   

The outstanding performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone were the primary reason I loved the film. We know that DiCaprio is one of the best actors to date, and in this movie, we see why. His ability to embody complex and diverse motives is remarkable. I was pleasantly surprised by the relatable strength Gladstone, a relative newcomer to larger productions, shows as Mollie. The authentic costumes and realistic set design transport the viewer to the rural 1920s America. This film is an investment at almost three and a half hours, but it is visually stunning, moving, impactful and worth your time.

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is currently playing at FilmScene in Iowa City, as of November 13th, 2023.

The 500 Club seeks to provide concise film reviews and criticism at around a cool 500 words for your viewing pleasure.

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He garnered, and to a large extent still does, a certain cult following to his films, which are also heaped with critical praise. Tarantino has followed a similar path, creating a certain kind of unique cinematic style that simultaneously enraptures college boys and impresses film critics. Scorsese’s films are often filled with coarse language, the glitz and glamour of the criminal underworld, hyper-masculine performances, excess, emotion-driven storytelling, and moments of extreme and cathartic violence.

However, Scorsese offered a rather different filmic experience with one of his lesser known works; 1982’s The King of Comedy. When it was first released, it was met with general confusion and dislike. People didn’t quite understand what the film was trying to do, especially considering its director, who had previously released films like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull.

This confusion is certainly understandable; The King of Comedy is a black comedy, but it elicits more cringe than laughter. It is not a particularly enjoyable viewing experience, and it is filled with moments of acutely painful awkwardness. That being said, it is still a masterfully-made film, and it remains one of Scorsese’s most under-appreciated works.

The King of Comedy follows Rupert Pupkin, played to perfection by Robert De Niro. Rupert is a lonely and potentially disturbed man who is fixated on the idea of “making it big” in the comedy world. The fact that he has never performed for an audience is no detriment to him, and when he annoys famous TV show host Jerry Langford to the point harassment, he sees it as his big break. Unfortunately, Rupert is unable to take the innumerable hints that are given to him that his dream is a bust, and when reality finally hits, he decides to take matters into his own hands.

Robert De Niro gives an incredible performance in this film. While Scorsese’s other collaborations (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Casino, Goodfellas, Mean Streets) with the actor may receive more praise, I firmly believe this is some of the duo’s best work together. De Niro gives a brilliantly understated performance, and one that is so relatable at the beginning of the film. This room for identification is exactly what makes his break from reality so deeply unsettling for the audience to watch. At what point can they break away? At what point has Rupert finally gone too far, to the point where he is no longer a subject for identification for the audience?

This is another reason why The King of Comedy is so great, and so unique. It may technically be called a black comedy, but it doesn’t have the usual sense of laughing at something rather morbid. The laughs aren’t brought on from slapstick violence, one-liners, or clever word-play. In fact, there really aren’t many laughs to be had at all. Instead, the audience is forced to squirm in their chairs through long scenes of painful awkwardness. And these tense and languishing moments drag on and on without any release. This is a particularly interesting facet of a film directed by someone like Scorsese. Nothing every boils over, there is no moment of cathartic release. Instead, the film smolders and constricts on the audience, never allowing for a moment of true relief.

The King of Comedy is available for download here. Check out a trailer for the film below:

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