Anthony Haitz

As a piece of filmmaking, this is a five star movie. In telling the story of the Osage nation, the film falls short. Most of this lies on Lily Gladstone’s portrayal of Mollie Burkhart. Gladstone gives us a full-bodied introduction of the character, promising great strength and potential. The story has other ideas and quickly relegates Burkhart to a shell of the character presented. She is disposed to crying and dying from illness for the rest of the movie. Not only that, but the film inexplicably depicts Burkhart as unsuspecting of her husband’s involvement in the murders of her own family and still desiring his love. The handling of Mollie’s character and Gladstone’s performance is inexcusable on Scorsese’s part. This should have been as much a story about her. This is a story about white men. Not the Osage.