One of the best mentions on Oscar nomination morning was for Kodi Smit-McPhee for Best Supporting Actor for Jane Campion’s masterpiece, The Power of the Dog. The young talent has been racking up notices from various critics groups, but it’s not like the type of performance that is generally talked about when debating Oscar chances. People always talk about “the Oscar clip” as if the bigness of a performance is a guarantee at awards glory. What Smit-McPhee does in Dog, however, is controlled, quiet, and fascinating. Smit-McPhee’s performance will haunt you and leave you with more questions than answers.
I was tempted to ask for certainties in my conversation with Smit-McPhee, but I also didn’t want to know things. There is a beauty in the grey area and the unknown, and he agreed that you can interpret a lot of his character’s actions in various ways. Was Peter solely protecting his mother? Is Peter gay or performing? Was there something between his Peter and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Phil that runs deeper?
We need to embrace the mystery. Let Kodi Smit-McPhee lure you in and haunt you.
