Howdy, this right here sure is one curious case. Netflix has clearly left the gate open on the ranch and allowed one of its prize stallions to bolt.
Sorry, I'll stop that. The skinny is that The Power of the Dog, one of the best movies on Netflix, is leaving the platform on the 19th of August. Considering this is a 2022 best picture Oscar nominee and a Netflix Original with 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, it's an odd one that it's departing Netflix UK. Whatever the reason it's leaving one of the best streaming services, you need to watch this movie before it's too late.
Based on Thomas Savage's 1967 novel of the same name, this adaption is directed by Jane Campion (The Piano) and features an incredible cast headed up by Benedict Cumberbatch (and his incredible range of facial expressions), real-life couple Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, and a breakthrough role for Kodi Smit McPhee. In fact, all four were nominated for Oscars for their performances, but the real star is undoubtedly the beautiful New Zealand landscapes that doubled for Montana. Hey, if it worked for Lord of the Rings, right?
If you're looking for a gun-toting full-blooded Western, you'll be out of luck here. The Power of the Dog is a tense slow-burn of a psychological thriller, scored no less by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. Set in 1920s Montana, we follow wealthy ranchers Phil and George Burbank, brothers very much set in a routine - they even share a bedroom. When George meets widower Rose (Dunst) and her son Peter, and soon marries her, Phil's bitter and destructive personality soon brings out the worst in himself. He starts to spend more and more time with Peter, a young man whose behaviour is also far from conventional.
Don't let me spoil it for you, but if you're going to watch one of the best movies on Netflix in the UK, it'll need to be quick as it disappears on the 19th of August. US viewers meanwhile can rest easy knowing that the movie isn't going anywhere soon.
If you're looking for another quality Netflix original to fill the void, may I recommend They Cloned Tyrone which is a completely different kind of movie but also brilliant.
