Directing: B+
Acting: B+
Writing: B+
Cinematography: B
Editing: B

First Cow is worthy viewing, though it’s unfortunately not quite made for this moment in history. A slight irony, that, given it was made about a particular moment in history: 1820s Pacific Northwest—specifically, Oregon Territory. Two men, a baker nicknamed “Cookie” and a Chinese immigrant named King-Lu (John Magaro and Orion Lee) form an unlikely friendship, and then a dangerous business selling “oil cakes” made delicious by the theft of milk from the only milk cow in the Territory.

Hence, the film’s title: Cookie and King-Lu observe the arrival of this cow, originally shipped from California with a bull and a calf who both perished in the journey, and seize an opportunity. They routinely sneak under cover of night to milk the cow, leaving its owner, Chief Factor (Toby Jones), mystified as to why it seems to produce so little milk.

And, here is where we get into why First Cow would be better viewed on a big screen in a theater, which unfortunately remains an indefinite impossibility for most of us: its many scenes shot at night, with the barest minimum of lighting. Should you watch this streaming at home—and I would say it’s still worth it, especially for its currently rental price of $2.99 for Prime Members on Amazon—I recommend watching in a room that you can make very dark, or at least watch at night. I started this in late morning, and even with blinds drawn, the sun hitting them from the other side forced me to stand up at times and move closer to the TV screen so that I could make out the image.

That said, even on its own terms, First Cow is not for everyone, mostly thanks to its very slow pacing. It’s easy to see how critical consensus on this film is incredibly high and average online viewer scores are much lower. And the story is so simple, there’s not even that much more to tell you, except perhaps that a modern-day prologue sequence makes perfectly clear what these two characters’ ultimate fates are. The final scene did not strike me as quite as ambiguous as some took it to be. It’s clear what happens to them, just not quite as clear how, but the how is far less relevant.

In the meantime, First Cow is much more of a meditation on friendship, and hardship, and how those things can relate to each other. There is no sex or romance in this movie, just the platonic relationship between these two men, who have both been to many places on a long life journey that has brought them together here. I do like how little telegraphing director Kelly Reichardt does in this movie, especially in terms of the disparate backgrounds. Not only are the two main characters originally from Maryland and China—for the time especially, a long, long way away from Oregon Territory in either case, just in opposite directions. There is also the Englishman Chief Factor (Toby Jones being simultaneously the most recognizable actor in this movie, and a great character actor who disappears into his roles), and the Native American house staff who waits on him.

Nothing about First Cow is “a statement,” but rather it’s all rather neutral observation, of a particular place and time. It may be slightly more interesting to those of us already from the region, but that has no bearing on how compelling the overall story might be to anyone. What is more likely to factor in its reception is how patient the viewer is. Reichardt is offering an environment to be absorbed, much more than a plot to propel forward. The story does pick up notably in the second half, almost as a reward for the patient. And even then, not a lot happens. You’ll want to make sure you’re not drowsy if you watch this movie.

It very much worked for me, at least. The performances are solid across the board, but then, Reichardt does not ask a lot of them. She still offers much on which to ruminate, especially the nature of friendship, as is made overtly clear with a quote she puts onscreen before the opening scene even begins. There’s something to be said for kindness as well, manifest by Cookie and King-Lu’s first meeting, and contrasted by Chief Factor’s stated philosophies. First Cow is quiet and contemplative, and in the event that’s what you’re in the mood for (a key factor), it could be just what the doctor ordered.

Overall: B+