Martin Scorsese’s entry into the Cannes Film Festival forever altered the benchmark for premieres. His debut here with Taxi Driver in 1976 remains one of the competition’s most talked about moments, with a juror like Tennessee Williams reportedly harboring personal disdain. The director returned to Cannes many years later and earned Best Director at a later edition while underlining that big risks often accompany prestige. The 2023 anticipation around Killers of the Flower Moon prompted a debate about whether premiering inside or outside the main competition changes a filmmaker’s legacy. In the end, the choice to premiere elsewhere did not dampen the film’s stature; it simply reframed the festival’s relationship with Scorsese and his formidable body of work.
Based on a meticulously researched nonfiction account by a veteran crime journalist, the film delves into a dark era in American history. The Osage murders, which occurred in Oklahoma during the early 20th century, exposed a pattern of systematic killings tied to oil wealth unearthed on Indigenous land. As decades passed, Osage lands were transformed into vast oil fields, bringing sudden wealth to a community that had faced decades of dispossession. In a troubling test of power, white interests sought to control those riches, and violence was used as a tool to settle scores and secure resources. This is a story about greed, exploitation, and the chilling forces that can arise when money meets prejudice.
Death, women and greed
The film centers on the deaths surrounding a family, with the narrative angle guided by the perspectives of white investigators who sought to uncover the truth amid a complex web of complicity. Rather than presenting a single villain, the story emphasizes the fragility of moral boundaries in a society driven by wealth and ambition. The cast delivers formidable performances that anchor the tense atmosphere. One performer in particular embodies the ethical weight of the period, delivering a demanding, restrained portrayal that grounds the film’s emotional center. Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance channels a complex blend of desire and vulnerability, while Lily Gladstone provides a stark, unflinching presence that preserves the moral gravity at the heart of the narrative. The work’s strongest moments arise from her gaze and the quiet, unadorned power she brings to the screen.
The film stretches across more than three hours of footage, and Scorsese’s storytelling remains without unnecessary flab. Though some viewers may expect a sweeping epic, the director favors a more measured approach to violence and a cinematic language that respects nuance over showmanship. This is not a parade of stylistic bravura but a reflective, intimate examination of a nation grappling with its own history. It marks a gentle, introspective turn in the director’s career, a meditation on legacy and national identity in a country still reckoning with its past. The latest chapter in this ongoing conversation situates the director as a thoughtful observer of American myths and the costs of wealth-seeking, inviting audiences to reconsider the line between spectacle and accountability. The strongest performances arise from the depth and restraint displayed by the cast, whose commitment lends the film a sobering authenticity.
Clocking in at a lengthy runtime, the film nonetheless maintains momentum through disciplined pacing and a decisive sense of moral direction. While some expectations lean toward a sprawling, operatic scale, the finished work instead embraces a disciplined, intimate framework that foregrounds character and consequence. This approach aligns with Scorsese’s stated aim of capturing a difficult era with honesty and care, balancing historical detail with the human drama at its core. In this light, the film stands as a contemplative milestone within a career defined by fearless storytelling and an unflinching eye for the complexities that shape national history. It invites viewers to consider not only the events themselves but the social forces that allowed such crimes to unfold and endure over time.