Killers of the Flower Moon is the upcoming film that has already garnered critical acclaim and is guaranteed to take over award season.
Directed by Martin Scorsese, the movie, which has a runtime of 3h 26m and is based on the 2017 non-fiction book of the same name written by David Grann, stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading role of Ernest Burkhart. And while Leo is clearly a major player in Hollywood, he isn't the most-talked-about person in the cast. It is, in fact, actress Lily Gladstone, who, as an American actress of Blackfeet and Nimíipuu heritage, is undoubtedly the perfect person to bring the role of Mollie Kyle to the big screen.
In order to appreciate her role as Mollie, it's essential to understand the premise of Killers of the Flower Moon. The film's official synopsis from Apple TV+ reads: "When oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land, the Osage people are murdered one by one — until the FBI steps in to unravel the mystery."
As well as telling the story of the investigation into the 24 Osage murders, which was dominantly chronicled in the book, the film will also explore the love story of Ernest and Mollie.
A re-examination of Elvis and Priscilla's legacy.
To make the movie, director Martin worked closely with Osage Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, who reflected on the real-life event of the movie as a "deep betrayal" of his people. Speaking at a press conference for Killers of the Flower Moon in May, he added: "My people suffered greatly, and to this very day, those effects are with us. But I can say, on behalf of the Osage, Marty Scorsese and his team have restored trust, and we know that trust will not be betrayed."
In an August 2023 interview with Vulture, Lily added: "It's not a white-saviour story. It's the Osage saying, 'Do something. Here's money. Come help us.'"
To catch just a snippet of the flick, watch the trailer here:
Meanwhile, the whole star cast, including Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons, has been praised in early reviews, with The Daily Beast writing: "It's anchored by performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert de Niro that both rank among their best, but the soul of the movie belongs to Lily Gladstone, who broke out in 2016's Certain Women." Rolling Stone commended Lily for making the heavy lifting surrounding her character "seem graceful". The Independent added: "It's Gladstone who provides the film's centre of gravity. She gives one of the most extraordinary performances by a woman in any of Scorsese's movies. She is serene but not saintly; a figure of tragedy with a fire in her belly."
Lily's performance has been so highly regarded that she will officially campaign for the Lead Actress category at the Academy Awards 2024. Best of luck to her!
Killers of the Flower Moon will land in cinemas on 20 October. It will later be released on Apple TV+ on a yet-to-be-confirmed date.
