Film Review: First Cow (2020)

Continuing to partner with interesting smaller filmmakers giving much larger audiences the chance to hear these unique voices, Kelly Reichardt has impressed many with features such as Wendy and Lucy and Certain Women. And now has joined the list of filmmakers to partner with A24 with their newest feature, First Cow. Which also serves as their first venture into VOD since theaters closed, stopping the planned wide theatrical release of the film.

Cookie Figowitz (John Magaro) is a chef traveling through the Oregon Territory, when he meets a Chinese immigrant named King Lu (Orion Lee). And despite a bizarre first meeting, ends up forming a friendship. Around this time, the very first cow has been brought from California to the territory, which spins the wheels inside the minds of Cookie and King Lu, who decide to steal milk from the cow during the night to make pastries which they can then sell.

The immediate thing to stick out from First Cow is the visual style of the film. Taking place in the misty, cold, and wild forests of Oregon, the film has a real sense of beauty to it, as it stunningly portrays this landscape with its production design and cinematography – the latter coming from Christopher Blauvelt.

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Blauvelt has continued to build one of the most underrated cinematography resumes through the years, crafting a skilled eye through projects which he has given a unique visual identity too like Zodiac, The Bling Ring, Mid90s, and even Emma from earlier this year. Many of the best scenes within First Cow are the quiet atmospheric breaths it takes with shots of the forest and rivers. Which when matched with the score from William Tyler creates a truly memorable experience and transports you to the time period featured in the film.

It is also the strength within this world and style that helps make the film work when it comes to its pacing and slower style. First Cow is a movie that casually goes through most of its plot, often taking time to breathe and simply absorb and appreciate the spirit of the world it is taking place in. If the world didn’t connect as well as it does, this pacing easily could have caused the film to feel tedious and perhaps even shallow. But because these scenes worked so well, there wasn’t a single moment where the film felt as if it was dragging or was hard to get through.

Where the visual design of the film does tons to bring the film a memorable atmosphere and world, the screenplay from Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond also does a ton to bring these characters and their unique charm and quirks to life. Both Cookie and King Lu are problematic characters who get caught up with greed and poor decision-making, but the screenplay gives them a legitimate charm and likeability.

Feeling a bit similar to screenplays by Wes Anderson when it comes to dry dialogue and bringing a pure heart even to troublesome characters. Little pieces of dialogue, like Cookie forming a near friendship with the cow as he meets with her monthly, talking to her as if she was just another character, really helps bring these characters to life. As well as show the innocent depth to Cookie particularly. John Magaro also stands out clearly as the best actor in the film, bringing an even deeper sense of innocence and genuine likability to the character of Cookie.

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If there was one issue with the film it would be the ending. Where there is a near sense of poetry with how the film begins and ends that absolutely could connect on a deeper level on rewatches, once the audience has the entire context of the story, it does feel like it could have been a bigger moment, connecting with more intense emotions than the subtle melancholy quietness which it uses instead.

The film also just lacks a general sense of deep-meaning, which doesn’t stand out as a negative per se, but more the lack of a positive needed to elevate the film to an even higher level. None of the morals explored within the film truly stands out as groundbreaking or overly unique to the film. And you can tell where the plot is going from very early on.

First Cow might not be the most impactful film of the year, but it absolutely is one of the most joyful and charming. There is something so enticing about the world the film builds and the characters who inhabit the runtime. So much of the movie is a quiet, slow, almost meditative experience that quietly grows on the audience. First Cow finally is being released wide on VOD, and is an easy recommendation for a charming new release that pretty much will guarantee a good time for those who seek it out.