Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog is a quiet, yet intense Western drama filled with interesting and complex characters. The movie explores these very different people who come into each other's lives, often quite reluctantly, and the conflicts that arise from these very troubled relationships.
As these dynamics between the characters play out, the audience's opinions of the characters may change. Certain despicable characters are shown to have deeper sides while others are easy to sympathize with. By the compelling conclusion of The Power of the Dog, it is interesting to see which characters remain the most likable.
Phil Burbank
Though he is made the central figure in the story, The Power of the Dog makes little attempt to make Phil a likable man. Instead, he is compelling and complex while also possessing a number of malicious traits. He haunts the movie with his presence, making the audience wonder what he is truly capable of.
While presenting himself as a tough cowboy in line with the usual Western tropes, Phil is also quite childish and petty, throwing passive-aggressive tantrums when things don't go his way. The cruelty he shows to Rose and Peter is hard to watch as he sets out to make them feel as unwelcome as possible. And though he shows a softer side later in the movie, it doesn't erase his unpleasantness.
Mrs. Lewis
Mrs. Lewis is not a very big character in the movie, but she does tend to make her presence known during her rare appearances. As the head housekeeper of the ranch, she seems to have pretty good control over everything and is not afraid to speak her mind to the men when she deems it necessary.
Given that she mostly operates in the background, her personality doesn't get a lot of opportunities to shine through. However, she does not seem overly happy to have Rose living at the ranch and is vaguely disapproving of George's romance with her that hints that she might not be the warmest of characters.
Governor Edward
Governor Edward is only featured in one sequence in the movie, but it makes him appear to be a decent and pleasant enough person. He is the honored guest at the ranch which causes a bit of a stir among everyone and makes for a rather awkward and intense dinner. However, Edward does his best to put the tension at ease with his friendly demeanor.
Rose is clearly anxious about having to entertain these important guests, but Edward seems to recognize this and help her feel more at ease. When she is unable to play the piano, he is quick to let her off the hook in an attempt to save her any embarrassment. Likewise, when Phil enters the party and attempts to make things uncomfortable, Edward remains polite and agreeable while getting himself out of there as quickly as possible.
Lola
Despite Thomasin MacKenzie appearing in many high-profile movies, she has a surprisingly small role in this movie as Lola, one of the housekeepers at the ranch. Though she is seen on screen throughout the movie, she is mostly just working in the background with only one or two notable moments.
However, even with the limited impact on the story, Lola seems to be a friendly and happy young woman. She has a bubbly energy even when she is working and there are even hints of her being a sort of little sister figure to Peter. In her only really significant scene, she is shown happily going to feed a carrot to Peter's rabbit only to be quite shocked to see he is using the animal for educational purposes. It shows Lola is a fairly gentle and caring person.
Peter Gordon
Peter Gordon makes for an interesting character in the story as the audience can find themselves cheering for him at times while also being disturbed by what he is capable of. Peter is obviously a very sensitive young man who doesn't necessarily fit into the rugged cowboy world Phil inhabits yet he is also not willing to abandon what he loves in order to fit in.
He is also shown to be somewhat detached emotionally as he dissects a rabbit for his own research without a trace of guilt. The ending also reveals he is capable of some shocking things, but the fact that it was done for the love of his mother and an attempt to make her life better makes him a strange sort of hero in the story.
George Burbank
George is a reserved and quiet man who seems to constantly be at odds with his brother Phil. While Phil might be the more experienced cowboy, George is the kinder of the two men and seems completely repulsed by Phil's unpleasantness towards other people. When Phil mocks Peter when they first meet, it is George who comes back to apologize.
His relationship with Rose is also quite sweet as he genuinely seems to care about her and wants to make her happy. While he might not be the smartest character in the movie when it comes to recognizing his wife's discomfort, George is ultimately a caring person who is happy when things work out for the best for Rose.
Rose Gordon
In a movie where characters have motivations and hidden desires that make them more complex, Rose is the easiest character to sympathize with. When she is introduced, she is a widow managing her life with her son as best she can. She is a loving mother and strong woman on her own before George enters her life.
Despite what Phil might think of her, Rose does not pursue a romance with George for the money and seems rather uneasy about entering a life of wealth. Her discomfort is made much worse by Phil's cruel treatment of her, never making her feel welcome in her new home. Watching Rose deal with this mistreatment is heartbreaking and the audience only wants to see her find some happiness.