Several of Hollywood’s A-list actors deliver outstanding, layered performances in The Power of the Dog; however, one of the industry’s brightest new stars, Thomasin McKenzie, is wasted in the role of Lola. The Power of the Dog is a masterpiece of subtlety — a Western-meets-psychological-thriller with equal parts gentleness and fury that leaves the viewer thinking about it long after the credits. Already having collected several awards and nominations at this year’s film festivals and a slew of good reviews, The Power of the Dog succeeds in nearly every way, except in the character of Lola.
Leading the cast, Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a stunning performance as Phil, a closeted cowboy whose repressed sexuality creates a hailstorm of psychological and emotional abuse toward anyone not striving for his same stereotype. His brother, George is terrified of provoking Phil and hesitates to speak around him at all. George’s new wife, Rose, becomes an alcoholic, seeking solace from Phil’s mind games with her persistent drinking. Rose’s son, Peter, however, is the one who suffers the most. Peter is mild-mannered, withstanding Phil’s abuse with a gentle steadfastness — portrayed flawlessly by Kodi Smit-McPhee — until Peter discovers Phil’s secret and the two forge a unique bond.
It is there, among the nuanced, award-worthy performances, that Thomasin McKenzie can be found, if the viewer looks very, very closely. The acclaimed young actress breezes by the camera in several scenes, screams over a dead rabbit, and searches nearby the lead cast for a lost ball from a tennis match. By the time the viewer realizes it is Thomasin McKenzie, the film ends. Known for her role in M. Night Shyamalan’s Old, her starring role in Edgar Wright’s vintage horror, Last Night in Soho, and Leave No Trace, Thomasin McKenzie is one of the brightest stars currently shining in Hollywood and certainly deserves more than her minuscule screen-time playing such an insignificant character in The Power of the Dog.
McKenzie’s breakthrough performance came with her portrayal of Tom, a young girl living with her father in a park in Portland, Oregon in 2018’s Leave No Trace. The role earned her massive critical acclaim and she went on to star as Philippa in The King with Timothée Chalamet along with roles in True History of the Kelly Gang and Jojo Rabbit. Earlier this year, she played 16-year-old Maddox in M. Night Shyamalan’s Old and most recently she was seen in Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho as the young fashion design student, Eloise, opposite The Queen’s Gambit's Anya Taylor-Joy and House of the Dragon’s Matt Smith. Thomasin McKenzie is no stranger to starring roles and her character’s lack of importance in The Power of the Dog begs the question: why have such a rising star in such an insignificant role?
Though The Power of the Dog is an incredible film, Thomasin McKenzie’s role is futile. Her character, Lola, serves no purpose other than to scream at Peter’s dissection of a rabbit and help Peter search for a lost tennis ball. One might conclude that Lola’s only purpose in the film was to show Peter’s lack of interest in Lola, however even this is a stretch and a plot unworthy of McKenzie’s talent. It may be that the actress was drawn to the film itself — not the role of Lola — as The Power of the Dog is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year, despite its squandering of McKenzie’s talent as the insignificant Lola.