The Stream: At more than 3 hours, I needed some more snacks and an intermission.

The Big Screen: A compelling story with good performances from Dicaprio and Gladstone.

The Final Bill: Despite the excessive runtime, this American tragedy is solidly told.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese based on a book by David Grann
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Cara Jade Myers
Genre: Crime, Drama, History
Rating: R for violence, some grisly images, and language
Runtime: 3 hours and 19 minutes
Production Companies: Appian Way, Apple Studios, Apple TV+
Platform: Released in theaters October 20, 2023, Coming to AppleTV+ in December
Notable Trailers: Poor Things, Saltburn, Napoleon, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Bob Marley: One Love, Argylle

Hey, Streamers! I know it’s spooky season, but it’s also that time of year when “prestige” movies start to flood the theaters. There have been fall film festivals teeming with Oscar hopefuls that are now being released to the general public. One of this year’s most anticipated movies is Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which is out in theaters this weekend and will be on AppleTV+ later this year. It’s a 3+-hour epic about another tragic, little-known true story from American history. Here’s how it went.

Martin Scorsese directed and co-wrote Killers of the Flower Moon with Eric Roth based on the book of the same name. Apparently, the book focused more on the investigation in the 1920s by federal agents of the unsolved murders of multiple members of the Osage Nation but that’s just a small sliver of this film. Here, we follow Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo Dicaprio), a former servicemember, who returns to Oklahoma to work with his uncle, William “King” Hale (Robert Deniro). Ernest is like many other white men who have flocked to the area to mooch off of the Osage Nation due to the oil that was found on their land. Many of those white men married Osage women in order to gain access to their head rights. Ernest falls in love with an Osage woman, Molly (Lilly Gladstone), and marries her. Then Molly’s family begins to die one by one under mysterious circumstance. Dastardly deeds and scheming hijinks ensue.

Well, it is no wonder this film is over 3 hours since that synopsis barely scratches the surface of what’s going on in Killers of the Flower Moon. Scorsese attempts to whittle down a complicated, sprawling American tragedy into a digestible story about the tragedy in one Osage family. The elements that are there work really well, but there’s an ineffable thing that’s missing. It almost seems like these events needed longer to develop – maybe a movie wasn’t the right medium for this. On the other hand, if this movie wants to be a mystery, crime thriller, there is an element of suspense that’s missing. The film never really has the energy of thriller. There are definitely tense moments, but the runtime cannot sustain that tension.

Nevertheless, the production values of this movie are top notch. The costumes of the 1920s people and the Osage tribe members are eclectic and interesting. The women have these beautiful blankets that are eye-catching wrapped around them in multiple scenes. The attention to detail is remarkable on both the clothing and in the sets. The cast is very good as well especially in the first hour that establishes the relationship between Dicaprio and Gladstone. They have an uneasy chemistry that perfectly captures Ernest and Molly’s odd courtship. Their scenes together are both creepy and sometimes endearing. Gladstone brings stoic sensitivity to her character that becomes important to the action of the film. I only wish her decisions made more sense. She’s depicted with a lot of strength, but she doesn’t seem to have much agency. That was pretty frustrating. I’m not sure how Scorsese could have fixed that in the screenplay or in the performances.

On a side note: Someone tell Brendan Fraser that the Academy called to say they want their Oscar back. Just put it outside your front door, and someone will be by to pick it up. It was supposed to be Colin Farrell’s anyway.

Ultimately, Killers of the Flower Moon is another great movie in Martin Scorsese’s filmography. However, you must be prepared to strap in for its excessive runtime, but the movie holds your attention for the most part. This compelling story of an American tragedy is told very well with good performances and great attention to detail but it still feels like some pieces are missing. Just a bowl of popcorn at a matinee – actually, multiple bowls will be necessary to get through this epic.