Leonardo Di Caprio proves yet again that he is not afraid to play despicable characters. Ernest Burkhart is portrayed as a weak, greedy and morally bankrupt man. He willingly follows his uncle's plan to kill Molly's family in order to gain control of the oil rich land. Major props to Leo for taking on the role.
shareI have not seen it yet but the villain usually makes the movie work.
shareMost actors say playing a good person is boring.
shareIts famous information now, but Leo was first offered...and accepted...the HERO role(the FBI man, Tom White.)
But after some readthroughs of the original script, Leo felt that the conflicted villain was simply the more interesting role to play. Leo shifted to the villain, the script was changed...and audiences were left to root for...Jesse Plemons?
Noteable:
Though Ernest Burkhart is more murderous and cruel a villain, Leo ALSO played a villain (who victimized customers) in The Wolf of Wall Street for Scorsese. In both movies, Leo comes up against an FBI man sent to investigate him.
PS. What other villains has Leo played? The slave plantation owner in Tarantino's "Django Unchained" for one. Very evil. And Leo was first offered the very villainous Nazi "the Jew Hunter" in Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds." Any other Leo villains?
I don't think Plemons was meant to be "relatable". He is not in the movie long enough for the audience to see themselves in that position. Lily Gladstone is the relatable one.
shareSPOILERS
I don't think Plemons was meant to be "relatable". He is not in the movie long enough for the audience to see themselves in that position. Lily Gladstone is the relatable one.
--
Is that in response to my suggesting that we "root for" Plemons? Because I certainly agree that Gladstone is the relatable one -- the emotional center of the story -- but you gotta admit, when Plemons shows up to investigate, we sure are glad to see him. The villains have been getting away with everything.
One more thing: two other male characters -- a private investigator hired by Hale, I think, and a man who volunteers to go to Washington DC to seek help -- are brutally murdered by Hale's men, including Ernest.
So when Plemons first shows up, you are worried that he will be the next "solo guy" to get killed investigating. But Scorsese holds back awhile and then with his camera he reveals that Plemons has brought a small TEAM of men with him to investigate. Its a great feeling -- he can't be killed off as a solo investigator, his men can back him up and make arrests.
As for Mollie, the movie sure makes it hard to stay on her side -- you keep waiting for her to figure out that her life is in danger as her sisters and mother die, and as she falls ill. But -- the story hammers hard -- she loves and trusts Ernest and she DOES have diabetes.
This leads to a rather awkward scene -- for Scorsese, at least -- of Mollie in DC herself, begging the President(?) for help. Its quick, blunt out of nowhere, but at least she "got smart."
And the movie goes on to wryly note that Plemmons and his team REALLY came out because the Osage gave them a $20,000 contribution. Paid-for justice.
yea and leo is old and ugly enough now that he won't be getting all the best leading man roles anymore. so he doesn't need to keep his persona immaculately good and likeable anymore.
shareNot even sure I would call him the villain. Just dumb and impressionable
shareDe Niro was much scarier with his gentleman facade hiding the devil underneath. Leo was just his henchman.
share"Not even sure I would call him the villain."
Out of curiosity, what is your political affiliation/orientation?