By Jason Guyer
By Jason Guyer
This year — and really for the last five years — there has been one film production and distribution company that stands above the rest: A24. An American independent entertainment company founded on Aug. 20, 2012, by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges and based in New York City, it also is to me hands down the best production company around.
The company continues to put out top quality works from great directors. From Robert Eggers’ “The Lighthouse” to Ari Aster’s “Midsommar,” and the Safdie brothers’ “Uncut Gems” with Adam Sandler, all of these movies are in the running for the best films over the last few years. And the list is much longer.
I would encourage anyone to go through their film library. It would be well worth it.
One could even add in some of their underrated films like 2019’s “Waves” or “The Farewell.”
A24 is one of those studios whose films I watch no matter who is in it or what it is about for the simple reason that I am always pleasantly surprised in one fashion or another.
The newest release from A24 is Kelly Reichardt’s “The First Cow.”
“The First Cow” is a film loosely based on Jonathan Raymond’s novel “The Half-Life” about two travelers, “Cookie” Figowitz and King Lu. The fellow outsiders form an instant bond and together find a home in a broken-down shack on the outskirts of a rough trading post.
The two travelers dream of striking it rich during the gold rush. But their tenuous plan to make their fortune changes from gold to baking after one of them is revealed to be a skilled cook. The secret to their fantastic frontier baking is the milk of a landowner’s prized dairy cow that the pair steal to make their goods. Their specialty, oily cakes, often remind settlers in a small camp/settlement of the homes they long left.
“The First Cow” stars John Magaro as “Cookie” Figowitz. The moment when Figowitz meets King Lu, played by Orion Lee, is when the film truly takes off.
The relationship between Figowitz and Lu and their capitalistic dreams of “making it” all play center stage in “The First Cow.” The exploration of the pair’s intimate but non sexual relationship is profoundly interesting and insightful. Ultimately showing that an intimate bond between friends is not only a worthy endeavor but maybe one we all should strive for.
However, the pair’s bond may not even be the most moving part of the film.
This, to me, is found in the pair’s surroundings and how it juxtaposes the pair’s closeness. Christopher Blauvelt creates expanses, shoots the forest, and surrounding land with such poetry and care that the wilderness and setting clearly become a central character in “The First Cow.”
The film takes place in the upper Northwest — Oregon to be specific — and the open expanses are beautiful.
Blauvelt does one thing beautifully: he keeps the viewer and the camera grounded by keeping the camera low to the ground and this creates a closeness to the setting that the viewer can feel. This closeness also makes the viewer feel closer to the characters in the long run as well.
Reichardt — who specializes in simpler, leaner stories than most — gives another in “The First Cow” which is quite refreshing and helps also keep the film grounded.
There are few things I hate more than overcomplicating a story just to simply overcomplicate it. Stories do not always have to have underlying narratives or complicated scenarios.
Reichardt uses the adage “simpler is always better” and makes that ring true in “The First Cow.” The time was simpler and the people and relationships in many ways were too.
This fits the scenery and the time frame narratives that all take place in “The First Cow.”
“The First Cow” starts in modern times with a woman walking her dog and stumbling upon a skull in the wide open woods of Oregon. As the woman digs around to find all the bones she uncovers two skeletons laying next to one another holding hands. This leaves the viewer asking, “Who are these two and what happened to them?”
This is when the story jumps into the open expanse of the rugged Northwest in 1820.
The film finds “Cookie” Figowitz in the company of some less than friendly fur trappers as the cook for the group.
One night, “Cookie” finds King Lu in the forest unclothed and on the run from some Russians. “Cookie” helps King Lu with clothes, food, and a place to sleep.
A little later on the pair meet up again and this time King Lu is in a way to help Figowitz and the pair start to live together and try to find a way to strike it rich.
John Magaro as “Cookie” Figowitz is wonderful in his quiet reverence and it pairs well with Orion Lee’s King Lu who is a little more worldly and outgoing.
Cookie uses the milk to make “oily cakes” that King Lu sells with speed and finesse and this makes their pairing and friendship even more fruitful.
Although I connected a little more with Figowitz’s reserved nature helped with my connection to the film but I would venture to say there is a little for everyone between the two characters.
The one thing lacking from Reichardt is woman characters but do not hold that against her.
I know many who would expect female characters from her over the male characters and their relationship in “The First Cow” but it is well worth the journey.
Once you see the pairs closeness and friendship I think this will become self explanatory.
“The First Cow” is slow and quiet, heavily introspective about the two friends’ relationship in juxtaposition to the fearful expanse and loneliness of the open wilderness.
The biggest downside to “The First Cow” is how slow it seems at points but sometimes pace is traded for depth in film.
This is not uncommon and liking it depends heavily on what the viewer wants from the film.
I will say, I got what I wanted from the “The First Cow,” from the two lead actors, from Reichardt, and ultimately from A24.
A24 put out another truly wonderful film that keeps widening the base of what makes a good film.
“The First Cow” is a great film and I have yet to not like an offering from them. Well maybe “The Death of Dick Long” or “Woodshock” but still their batting average is great.
If you, like me, are looking for A24’s next great film it will be “Saint Maud” which should hit theaters in the fall.
IRATE SCORE: 4.5/5
Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the graphics department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected].
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