For this year's acting awards in the Oscar race, the powerhouse cast of The Power of the Dog could have easily won the ensemble acting award in the Screen Actors Guild, if the decision were up to me. The four main characters in the movie all get nominated in their respective categories, and all deservedly so.However, my favorite category this year is the Best Actress with Kristen Stewart as my vote as she essays the role of Princess Diana during a particularly stressful time in her life. I think she completely dissolves into the role and shows what Diana had to deal with in that prison of a bubble.
Kodi Smits-McPhee is hard to miss in The Power of the Dog and he is the character I get to sympathize with, being gay myself, and a victim of relentless gay bullying growing up. But just like Kodi's character, I don't really stand for anyone's shite and like Kodi, we have found ways to temper the 'enemy' or whoever is putting us down. Also, we use our creativity as a weapon in disarming the 'enemy'.
I am so excited for Kirsten Dunst! Finally, an Oscar nomination. I felt she should have been nominated for Interview with a Vampire. But anyhow, I am glad the Academy did not overlook her this time in The Power of the Dog. It is hard to root for her character though as she appears fragile and relentlessly bullied by Benedict Cumberbatch's character. But she holds her own finding love in the brother of Cumberbatch's character, her husband in real life - Jesse Plemons.
I was rooting for Jesse Plemons to get nominated and I am glad the Academy voted for him. I have seen him in other great movies and I was hoping he would finally be noticed with this one, although the role is quite understated and has a quiet gravity to it. I especially love that scene where he professes his love for Kirsten Dunst's character. The wide empty windy plains served as a beautiful backdrop for his profession of love.
Finally, I thought I have seen all the layers of Benedict Cumberbatch. I was wrong. He is so vile and irritating and hateful here in The Power of the Dog, it is impossible to feel any love or support for his character. However, as you discover more about his character, you will discover why he is like that - and we gay men know very well why he has decided to act like that. It is so tough to be gay especially in such a macho environment like a farm full of cowboys.
