Based on a novel by Thomas Savage, The Power Of The Dog follows the story of a rancher who tends to be mockingly cruel to his brother’s wife and child until a twisty equation that follows. The story is Western and a slow burner that touches upon a few concepts of Masculinity and Homosexuality coupled with some emotions of bitterness and revenge. The story is really nuanced and layered. The screenplay compliments it very well. This is a bit of a niche as the leisurely pace ensures that almost nothing happens in the initial few minutes. But the conversations and events that unfold are of utmost importance and requires undivided attention. The smallest of events contribute largely to the story especially towards the back end. The few concepts of masculinity and homosexuality maybe could have been explored a bit more but it still doesn’t take away from this wonderfully woven screenplay that takes an unexpectedly dark turn towards the dying minutes. The setup for the final act might seem simple but if you look back and understand the events following upto it then you would really adore it. The end is again open to interpretation yet it is an extremely satisfying end for cinephiles like me. Overall, a brilliantly penned slowburner, so well nuanced and textured that it falls in the category of being deliciously dark and twisted!