They just don’t make films like Killers Of The Flower Moon anymore. I’ll go one further – They definitely don’t get a wide theatrical release.

In an age of shortened attention spans and the post-pandemic expectation of at-home comfort viewings of new releases, it seems movie theatres are more for event cinema than regular outings.

And yet, despite its sprawling 206-minute runtime, epic sensibilities and somber tone, Flower Moon made $23-million its opening weekend, bested only by the unstoppable Taylor Swift concert film.

One part a film on the systemic racism against Native Americans that continues to this day, and one part murder drama, Killers Of The Flower Moon is not for the faint of heart.

Leonardo DiCaprio is at his most distasteful – sporting jarring fake teeth, a stumbling accent, and committing all manner of jarring, angering sins.

He stars as Ernest, a well-to-do soldier who comes to Oklahoma in the 1920s to live with his rich and powerful uncle, the venerable William Hale. In Osage Nation, the Osage people have wealth and status from providing access to oil on their lands to white prospectors.

But Ernest and William seek to usurp the money from a large Native American family, with step one being the marriage between Ernest and new beau Mollie. As Mollie’s sisters and mother begin being methodically killed, Ernest comes closer and closer to inheriting the large fortune.

But when the FBI – and pesky interrogator Tom White – arrive to investigate the murdered Indigenous women in the area, the plan becomes more difficult than Ernest could imagine.

Make no mistake here – You will not like a lot of these people. In fact, you will hate most of these characters. But the performances are so layered and intricate that you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen.

DiCaprio and Robert De Niro seem bound for Oscar nominations, but Lily Gladstone captures audiences and captivates as Mollie, in a turn that could very well land her a Best Actress trophy.

With an ensemble including Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Tantoo Cardinal, and an small-but-memorable performance from Cara Jade Myers, you will not be able to stay neutral. Killers Of The Flower Moon will light a fire in you, and it should.

Director Martin Scorsese and co-writer Eric Roth adapt this real-life story from David Grann’s novel with a caring attention to detail, surprising depth, and a level of compassion I somehow didn’t expect.

It’s a bit overlong – 20 minutes could be cut from the first act – and it isn’t a classic on the same level of Goodfellas, but Scorsese’s latest is a clear passion project that’s impossible to ignore.

A triumph of a film, Flower Moon is topical and riveting. It will challenge you its entire runtime, and isn’t afraid to make our A-listers ugly to get its point across.

4.5/5 Stars