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First Cow

{{Short description|2019 American drama film by Kelly Reichardt}}

{{Infobox film

| name = First Cow

| image = First Cow poster.jpeg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Kelly Reichardt

| producer = {{Plainlist|

}}

| screenplay = {{Plainlist|

}}

| based_on = {{based on|The Half-Life|Jonathan Raymond}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = William Tyler

| cinematography = Christopher Blauvelt

| editing = Kelly Reichardt

| production_companies = {{Plainlist|

}}

| distributor = A24

| released = {{Film date|2019|8|30|Telluride|2020|3|6|United States}}

| runtime = 121 minutes{{cite web|url=https://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2019/daily/57th-new-york-film-festival-main-slate-announced/|title=First Cow|website=New York Film Festival|date=6 August 2019 |access-date=August 6, 2019}}

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $2 million+{{efn|Reichardt stated that First Cow was "a low-budget film, obviously, but bigger for me" and her previous films had budgets of $2 million.{{cite web |title= First Cow Director Kelly Reichardt on Making Quiet Art and the Failure of American Individualism |url= https://www.gq.com/story/first-cow-kelly-reichardt-interview |last= Paiella |first= Gabriella |website=GQ|date=July 21, 2020|access-date= December 7, 2020}}}}

| gross = $1.4 million{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt9231040/?ref_=bo_se_r_1\|title=First Cow|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=March 13, 2021}}

}}

First Cow is a 2019 American drama film directed by Kelly Reichardt, from a screenplay by Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond based on Raymond's 2004 novel The Half-Life. It stars John Magaro, Orion Lee, Toby Jones, Ewen Bremner, Scott Shepherd, Gary Farmer, Stephen Malkmus, Alia Shawkat, and Lily Gladstone. It also features René Auberjonois in one of his final film roles.

The film had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2019, and was selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/press/press-releases/detail_34516.html |title=The 70th Berlinale Competition and Further Films to Complete the Berlinale Special |work=Berlinale |access-date=29 January 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/festivals/berlin-film-festival-main-competition-lineup-1203485048/ |title=Berlin Competition Lineup Revealed: Sally Potter, Kelly Reichardt, Eliza Hittman, Abel Ferrara |work=Variety |date=29 January 2020 |access-date=29 January 2020}} It was theatrically released by A24 in the United States on March 6, 2020, and released on VOD platforms on July 10, 2020, to acclaim from critics. It won Best Film at the 2020 New York Film Critics Circle Awards,{{cite web|url=https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/ |title=Awards New York Film Critics Circle |website=NYFCC |accessdate=19 December 2020}} and was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the National Board of Review.{{cite news|url= https://deadline.com/2021/01/national-board-of-review-2020-winners-list-da-five-bloods-1234680677/ |title= Spike Lee's 'Da 5 Bloods' Named Best Film Of 2020 By National Board Of Review |website= Deadline Hollywood |date= January 26, 2021 |access-date= January 26, 2021}}

Plot

In the present, a woman walking her dog on the riverside discovers two skeletons lying together in a shallow grave.

In 1820, Otis "Cookie" Figowitz is a quiet chef traveling in Oregon Country with a group of loud and aggressive fur trappers who harass him for not finding them enough food. One night, he comes across King-Lu, a Chinese immigrant on the run for killing a Russian man. Cookie allows Lu to hide in his tent for the night and watches him escape across the river the next day.

Cookie's group reaches a fort and Lu finds him there, babysitting an infant in the middle of a bar fight, and invites him to his house. Cookie moves in, and learns Lu is thinking about starting a farm, while Cookie talks about opening a bakery or hotel in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, the outpost's first milk cow has arrived; her mate and calf died on the journey. She is left unattended at night just outside the house of the wealthiest English trader in town, the Chief Factor. Lu laments that poor men don't stand a chance to get ahead without some kind of fortune or committing a crime. Cookie reminisces about his days as a baker's assistant in Boston and tells Lu that he could use some of the cow's milk to make baked goods. They sneak onto the Chief Factor's property at night, Cookie milking the cow and Lu keeping watch from a tree. They manage to get enough milk to bake a batch of buttermilk biscuits. Cookie is unsatisfied with the result, wishing it could be sweeter, but Lu points out they are far better than anything on the outpost and suggests they could make a fortune. Cookie refines his recipe and adds honey.

They take their first batch of sweet oily cakes to market. When asked the recipe, Lu claims it's a "Chinese secret." The first few men to try them excitedly ask for more, and a bidding war erupts for the last cake. Word spreads and the men line up day after day as they run out. One day, a big man shoves a slight man aside for the last cake, and Lu does not object, only caring for the money. As they get richer, they decide it's safer to store their money in a tree than to take it to a bank.

The Chief Factor tries their cakes and asks Cookie to bake a clafoutis, the favorite of a captain he wants to impress at their next meeting. Lu and Cookie proudly deliver the clafoutis and observe as the Chief Factor offers tea with cream to the captain, remarking that despite his cow's good breeding, it is producing very little milk. He takes the captain, the chief, Cookie and Lu to see the cow, which recognizes Cookie and nuzzles him. Cookie urges Lu to leave town now, sensing the danger, but Lu persuades him they don't have enough to get to San Francisco and start their business, so they go back the next night to milk the cow once again.

A man at the Chief Factor's estate comes out to fetch a cat, and the tree branch breaks before Cookie hears Lu's warning call. They run as the alarm is raised, and after the captain sees the pail and stool and informs the Chief Factor his cow was being milked, they send their men to kill Lu and Cookie. When they reach a river, Lu jumps, but Cookie hides, then falls down a hill, hitting his head. Cookie wakes up in a shack, helped by an elderly Native Hawaiian couple. He says he needs to find his friend and soon leaves.

Lu trades his buttons to hire a canoe to go downstream in search of Cookie, and returns to the shack, hiding from the Chief Factor's men rummaging through the destruction. He retrieves their money from the tree. Cookie returns to the shack, walking by the cow on the Factor's estate, now surrounded by a fence. He is spied by the slight man Lu ignored in line at the market, who follows with a rifle.

Cookie finds Lu at the shack, and Lu suggests they catch the next boat south. Cookie can't keep up through the woods and he lies down, clearly fatigued. Lu tells Cookie they will be safe and promises to keep watch, then lies beside him, reassures him, and closes his eyes.

Cast

Production

In October 2018, it was announced that Kelly Reichardt would direct the film, from a screenplay she wrote alongside Jonathan Raymond. Neil Kopp, Vincent Savino, Anish Savjani, Scott Rudin and Eli Bush would produce the film under their FilmScience and Scott Rudin Productions banners, respectively, while A24 would distribute.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/10/first-cow-kelly-reichardt-movie-1202016877/|title='First Cow': Kelly Reichardt's Follow-Up to 'Certain Women' Is a Period Piece Set in Oregon and China|website=IndieWire|first=Michael|last=Nordine|date=October 31, 2018|access-date=March 13, 2019}}{{cite magazine |date=December 20, 2018 |title=Production Weekly |url=https://www.productionweekly.com/122018rr.pdf |magazine=Production Weekly |access-date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111202318/https://www.productionweekly.com/122018rr.pdf |url-status=dead }}

In November 2018, René Auberjonois was cast in the film.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1068575219818741760|title=Oh dear! I know! I've been AWOL... a combination of family stuff, travel, and the dregs of a miserable cold (better now!). Going to Oregon on Sunday to shoot a 'bit' on "FIRST COW" -new film by Kelly Reichardt! Excited!|website=Twitter|first=Rene|last=Auberjonois|date=November 30, 2018|access-date=November 30, 2018}} In March 2019, it was announced that John Magaro had joined the cast.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/john-magaro-the-many-saints-of-newark-sopranos-movie-cast-1202574083/|title=John Magaro Joins 'The Many Saints Of Newark' In Reteam With David Chase|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Patrick|last=Hipes|date=March 12, 2019|access-date=March 13, 2019}}

Principal photography began in November 2018 in Oregon.{{cite web|url=https://www.ioncinema.com/news/kelly-reichardt-first-cow-half-life-jonathan-raymond|title=Her Old Joy: Kelly Reichardt Finds Oregon by Way of China in "First Cow"|website=ioncinema.com|first=Eric|last=Lavallee|date=October 31, 2018|access-date=March 13, 2019}} The film was shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio.{{cite web|url=https://www.original-cin.ca/posts/2020/3/11/first-cow-a-less-than-mythic-tale-of-the-old-west-fabulous-fritters-lactic-larceny-and-bigger-themes|title=First Cow: An anti-mythic tale of the Old West, fabulous fritters, lactic larceny and larger themes |website=original-cin.ca|first=Karen|last=Gordon|date=March 11, 2020|access-date=July 25, 2020}} Reichardt dedicated the film to Peter Hutton, with whom she taught at Bard College.{{cite web |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/interviews/kelly-reichardt-first-cow |title=Kelly Reichardt: the quiet American |last=Gilbey |first=Ryan |date=May 25, 2021 |publisher=British Film Institute |access-date=December 23, 2023}}

Release

First Cow had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/telluride-film-festival-2019-lineup-ford-vs-ferrari-judy-full-list-of-movies-1202706577/|title=Telluride Film Festival: 'Ford V Ferrari', 'Judy', 'Motherless Brooklyn', Weinstein-Inspired Drama 'The Assistant' Among Premieres Headed To 46th Edition – Full List|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Pete|last=Hammond|date=August 29, 2019|access-date=August 29, 2019}} It screened at the New York Film Festival on September 28, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/57th-new-york-film-festival-slate-pedro-almodovar-bong-joon-ho-scorsese-1202662340/|title=57th New York Film Festival Sets Full Slate; Pedro Almodovar, Bong Joon-ho Bring Their Cannes Prize Winners|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|date=August 6, 2019|access-date=August 6, 2019}} Although it was released in four U.S. theaters on March 6, 2020, the film was pulled from release by A24 on March 15, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released for purchase on VOD platforms on July 10, 2020, and became available to rent on July 21.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2020/06/first-cow-vod-release-kelly-reichardt-1234570299/|title='First Cow' Will Head to VOD, and Kelly Reichardt Reconsiders Her Film's Resonance — Exclusive|first=Eric|last=Kohn|website=IndieWire|date=June 29, 2020|access-date=July 10, 2020}}

Reception

=Critical response =

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average score of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critical consensus reads, "First Cow finds director Kelly Reichardt revisiting territory and themes that will be familiar to fans of her previous work—with typically rewarding results."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/first_cow|title=First Cow (2019)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 89 out of 100, based on 44 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".{{cite web|url= https://www.metacritic.com/movie/first-cow |title=First Cow|website=Metacritic|access-date=August 16, 2020}}

A. A. Dowd and Katie Rife of The A.V. Club gave the film a positive review, praising its simplicity and precise storytelling.{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/gentle-thoughtful-and-touching-first-cow-is-a-quiet-1842132955 |title=Gentle, Thoughtful, and Touching, First Cow Is a Quiet Hit with Our Critics |last1=Dowd |first1=A. A. |last2=Rife |first2=Katie |publisher=The A.V. Club |date=March 6, 2020 |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=May 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509081614/https://film.avclub.com/gentle-thoughtful-and-touching-first-cow-is-a-quiet-1842132955 |url-status=live }}

At the end of 2020, 119 film critics included the film on their top-ten lists, with 18 ranking it first and 20 ranking it second.{{cite web|title=Best of 2020: Film Critic Top Ten Lists|url=https://www.metacritic.com/feature/film-critics-pick-10-best-movies-of-2020|access-date=January 12, 2021|work=Metacritic|archive-date=December 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215081138/https://www.metacritic.com/feature/film-critics-pick-10-best-movies-of-2020|url-status=dead}}

=Accolades=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" | Award

! scope="col" | Date of ceremony

! scope="col" | Category

! scope="col" | Recipient(s)

! scope="col" | Result

! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}

rowspan="1" |Berlin International Film Festival

| rowspan="1" |March 1, 2020

| Golden Bear

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

| rowspan="1" align="center" |{{cite web|url=https://www.berlinale.de/media/service-2020/berlinale-awards-2020.pdf|title=The Awards of the 70th Berlin International Film Festival|work=Berlinale |access-date=1 March 2020}}

rowspan="2" |Boston Society of Film Critics Awards

| rowspan="2" |December 13, 2020

| Best Film

| First Cow

| {{draw|Runner-up}}

| rowspan="2" align="center" |{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/awards/boston-film-critics-awards-2020-nomadland-paul-raci-1234852623/#!|title='Nomadland' Named Best Picture at Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, Paul Raci and Yuh-jung Youn Among Winners|work=Variety|date=December 13, 2020|access-date=December 13, 2020}}

Best Director

| rowspan="1"| Kelly Reichardt

| {{draw|Runner-up}}

rowspan="1"|New York Film Critics Circle Awards

|rowspan="1"|December 18, 2020

|Best Film

| First Cow

|{{Won}}

|rowspan="1" align="center" |{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Clayton|date=2020-12-18|title=New York Film Critics Circle Winners Full List: 'First Cow' Takes Top Prize|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/awards/new-york-film-critics-circle-winners-2020-1234866232/|access-date=2020-12-19|website=Variety|language=en-US}}

rowspan=6| Chicago Film Critics Association

| rowspan=6| December 21, 2020

| Best Film

| First Cow

| {{Nominated}}

| rowspan=6|

Best Director

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{Nominated}}

Best Adapted Screenplay

| Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt

| {{Nominated}}

Best Cinematography

| Christopher Blauvelt

| {{Nominated}}

Best Art Direction

| Lisa Ward and Vanessa Knoll

| {{Nominated}}

Best Costume Design

| April Napier

| {{Nominated}}

rowspan=5| Florida Film Critics Circle

| rowspan=5| December 21, 2020

| Best Film

| First Cow

| {{won}}

| rowspan=5|

Best Director

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{draw|Runner-up}}

Best Actor

| John Magaro

| {{draw|Runner-up}}

Best Adapted Screenplay

| Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

Best Score

| William Tyler

| {{nom}}

rowspan=3| Alliance of Women Film Journalists

| rowspan=3| January 4, 2021

| Best Director

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

| rowspan=3|

Best Screenplay, Adapted

| Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

Best Woman Director

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

rowspan="3"| National Society of Film Critics

| rowspan="3"| January 9, 2021

| colspan="2"| Best Picture

| {{draw|Runner-up}}

| rowspan=3|

Best Director

| rowspan="1"| Kelly Reichardt

| {{draw|Runner-up}}

Best Screenplay

| rowspan="1"| Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt

| {{draw|Runner-up}}

rowspan="4" |Gotham Awards

| rowspan="4" |January 11, 2021

| Best Feature

| First Cow

| {{nom}}

| rowspan="4" align="center" |{{cite web |title=Nominations Announced for 30th IFP Gotham Awards |url=https://www.ifp.org/press/nominations-announced-for-30th-ifp-gotham-awards/ |publisher=Independent Filmmaker Project |access-date=December 6, 2020 |date=November 12, 2020 |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208153602/https://www.ifp.org/press/nominations-announced-for-30th-ifp-gotham-awards/ |url-status=dead }}

Best Actor

| rowspan="1"|John Magaro

| {{nom}}

Breakthrough Actor

| rowspan="1"|Orion Lee

| {{nom}}

Best Screenplay

| rowspan="1"|Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

rowspan="4" | Online Film Critics Society Awards

| rowspan="4" | January 25, 2021

| Best Picture

| First Cow

| {{nom}}

| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;" | {{cite web |last1=Ramos |first1=Dino-Ray |title=Online Films Critics Society Unveils Annual Film Awards Recipients, Names 'Nomadland' Best Picture |url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/online-films-critics-society-annual-film-awards-nomadland-best-picture-1234680167/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=January 25, 2021}}

Best Director

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

Best Adapted Screenplay

| Jonathan Raymond and Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

Best Cinematography

| Christopher Blauvelt

| {{nom}}

rowspan="2" | Toronto Film Critics Association

| rowspan="2" | February 7, 2021

| colspan="2" | Best Film

| {{runner-up}}

| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2" | {{cite web |title=Nomadland Leads 24th Annual TFCA Award Winners |url=https://torontofilmcritics.com/features/nomadland-leads-tfca-awards/ |website=Toronto Film Critics Association |access-date=May 27, 2021 |date=February 7, 2021}}

Best Director

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{runner-up}}

rowspan="2" | Critics' Choice Movie Awards

| rowspan="2" | March 7, 2021

| Best Adapted Screenplay

| Jonathan Raymond and Kelly Reichardt

| {{Nominated}}

|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|{{cite web|url=http://criticschoice.com/2021/02/film-nominations-announced-for-the-26th-annual-critics-choice-awards/|title=Film nominees for the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced|website=Critics Choice Association|date=February 8, 2021|access-date=February 8, 2021|archive-date=February 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208205512/http://criticschoice.com/2021/02/film-nominations-announced-for-the-26th-annual-critics-choice-awards/|url-status=dead}}

Best Cinematography

| Christopher Blauvelt

| {{Nominated}}

rowspan="3" | Detroit Film Critics Society

| rowspan="3" | March 8, 2021

| Best Picture

| First Cow

| {{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3" | {{cite web |title=The 2020 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards |url=https://detroitfilmcritics.com/awards/ |website=Detroit Film Critics Society |access-date=2021-05-17 |archive-date=2019-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716212057/http://detroitfilmcritics.com/awards/ |url-status=dead }}

Breakthrough Performance

| Orion Lee

| {{nom}}

Best Adapted Screenplay

| Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond

| {{nom}}

rowspan="2" |Austin Film Critics Association

| rowspan="2" |March 19, 2021

| Best Film

| First Cow

| {{nom}}

| rowspan="2" align="center" |{{cite web |last1=Partridge |first1=Jon |title=2020 Austin Film Critics Association Award Nominations |url=https://austinfilmcritics.org/2020-austin-film-critics-association-award-nominations-b7a391b56646 |website=Austin Film Critics Association |access-date=May 19, 2021 |date=March 12, 2021 |archive-date=March 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312182529/https://austinfilmcritics.org/2020-austin-film-critics-association-award-nominations-b7a391b56646?gi=3f9250befe8 |url-status=dead }}

Best Director

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{nom}}

rowspan="3" | Independent Spirit Awards

| rowspan="3" | April 22, 2021

| Best Feature

| Neil Kopp, Vincent Savino and Anish Savjani

| {{Nominated}}

| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3" | {{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Hilary |last2=Galuppo |first2=Mia |title=Film Independent Spirit Awards: 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always,' 'Minari,' 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,' 'Nomadland' Top Nominations |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/independent-spirit-awards-nominations-list-2021 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en |date=26 January 2021}}

Best Director

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{Nominated}}

Best Supporting Male

| Orion Lee

| {{Nominated}}

rowspan="1" |British Independent Film Awards

| rowspan="1" |December 5, 2021

| Best International Independent Film

| Kelly Reichardt, Jon Raymond, Neil Kopp, Vincent Savino and Anish Savjani

| {{nom}}

| rowspan="1" align="center" |{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/awards/bifa-nominations-2021-1235103575/|title='Belfast,' 'Boiling Point' Lead BIFA Nominations |date=November 3, 2021 |work=Variety |access-date=4 November 2021}}

rowspan="1" |César Awards

| rowspan="1" |February 25, 2022

| Best Foreign Film

| Kelly Reichardt

| {{Nominated}}

| rowspan="1" align="center" |{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/cesar-awards-nominations-2022-annette-titane-full-list-1234919968/|title=César Awards Nominations: 'Lost Illusions', 'Annette', 'Aline' Dominate; 'Titane' Shut Out Of Best Film Race – Full List |work=Deadline |date=26 January 2022 |access-date=30 January 2022}}

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

See also

External links

  • {{IMDb title|9231040}}
  • [https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/FIRST-COW-screenplay.pdf Script] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209184914/https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/FIRST-COW-screenplay.pdf |date=February 9, 2021}}
  • [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cApUS6hTtng Official MUBI trailer]

{{Navboxes

|title = Awards for First Cow

|list =

{{Cahiers du Cinéma Award for Best Film}}

{{Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film}}

{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film}}

}}

{{Kelly Reichardt}}

Category:2019 films

Category:American drama films

Category:Films produced by Scott Rudin

Category:Films directed by Kelly Reichardt

Category:2019 independent films

Category:Films set in Oregon

Category:Films shot in Oregon

Category:A24 (company) films

Category:2019 drama films

Category:Films set in 1820

Category:Films about friendship

Category:Films about race and ethnicity

Category:Films about cattle

Category:Films about immigration to the United States

Category:Films set in the 1820s

Category:2010s English-language films

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Category:English-language drama films

Category:English-language independent films