First Cow (2020)

When a hired shy American born cook in the 1800s America, named Cookie (played by John Magaro), protects a recently moved, confident Chinese immigrant - King Lu (played by Orion Lee) from being murdered; they form a quick friendship. Both being outsiders in various ways; they learn to depend on each other, through food and capitalism.

Kelly Reichardt’s seventh feature film - First Cow, finds her exploring current and forever ongoing topics of our time - Immigration, race relations and the fallacy of the “American Dream”, while telling a story that at its core is about true friendship and how it forms. Not a new subject to Reichardt with her films Old Joy (2006), Wendy and Lucy (2008) and River of Grass (1994); but with First Cow Reichardt adds a political bent with her two main characters, one being Chinese and one being American going into business together, and making the poignant commentary of America’s relationship with China.

Throughout the film King Lu and Cookie bond, sharing their dreams and aspirations, and come to the conclusion to create a trademark food item and sell it after King Lu discovers Cookie’s signature dish of scones. Unknown yet as a food item in 1800s America, the two entrepreneurs make a killing, by having shy cook Cookie make the scones, and the confidence and eagerness of King Lu to sell them to Americans with a charming ease and hopeful nostalgic words. These scenes displaying the reality of China towards America for decades, selling cheaper and more urgent goods to Americans online and through trade, even including bootleg items. King Lu is also excited to be on new land and in America, and to take advantage of a new opportunity as oppose to Cookie, who is absolutely jaded and held back on his dreams, but who’s nostalgic of his upbringing. This touching upon the idea that immigrants actually love America being outsiders of it and born Americans being the ones fed up with America being raised in it. As First Cow goes along, the commentary swells of how America’s corruption is very present and unavoidable, as King Lu informs American born Cookie that for them to succeed, they need to do undesirable things or they’ll never have an advantage.

Kelly Reichardt does perfect masterful work with First Cow, installing her style that appropriately fits this subject matter, that allows for a meaningfully slow charming film about friendship and entrepreneurship; all the while quietly displaying the chilling context of America/Chinese trade agreements and the strong hold of capitalism on our lives. Like an Art House Buddy Cop movie, First Cow is a somber classic that evokes us to the past and holds us to the reality of the present. Regardless of it all, First Cow reminds that there’s nothing like the bond of two people and two souls, in harmony. 9/10.

• Maurice Jones

Guest of Honour (2019)

When music teacher, Veronica, (played by Laysla De Oliveira) is released from jail after being accused of statutory rape; she is delivered the unfortunate news that her food inspector father has passed away (played by David Thewlis). While dealing with the funeral arrangements, Veronica is forced to understand who her father was, through the counselling of a soft-spoken priest (played by Luke Wilson).

Atom Egoyan is the master of thread pulling dramatic narratives of past discovery. With Exotica (1994), The Sweet Hereafter (1997) and Remember (2015); Atom Egoyan has an infamous reputation of telling stories about regret and forbidden intentions and pleasures, under the umbrella of the creepy unknown. With Guest of Honour (2019), Atom Egoyan explores one’s reputation, power and childhood trauma over the back drop of his own ethnic background of Egypt. Displaying Canada’s huge connection to the Middle East with its food culture, and Egoyan’s parents own immigration to Canada, and possible solitude in the food industry as Armenians.

Guest of Honour is about true intentions covered up by status and words, abuse of power, trauma, PTSD, Canada’s multicultural expanse expressed through its food industry, jealousy, first love obsession and the complicated relationship with food prep and living animals, pedophilia, parental carelessness, bad child development due to parental neglect, boy/Woman statutory rape, revenge, following societal rules, job identity, spirituality and acceptance.

What makes Guest of Honour’s dark perspective interesting, is the idea of food, celebration, religion and music being the glue throughout the picture, that reminds you of the humanity of the characters, who can care and love for something other than greed or betrayal. Music especially plays an important role, being the catalyst of the film’s plot and the continuity as well; music also being a therapy of its protagonist and a resolve by the films end.

The thread of David Thewlis as the food inspector father, poignantly projects the similarity between food, mythos, focus and tradition. The idea that I’ve can’t experience another culture’s food, without coming into contact with its history and meaning that brought it there. The truth of the matter, that many have taken for granted the different food cultures immigrated into cosmopolitan countries, and careless consider the people behind it; such as - supporting ICE yet consuming Mexican food.

Being Canadian myself, Atom Egoyan’s films have always giving me a sense of comfort, even when dealing with difficult uncomforting subject matter. Guest of Honour accordingly follows suit; as Egoyan’s films are usually about family, self discovery and virtue across the plans of my peaceful home country of Canada. Guest of Honour is classic Atom Egoyan, while being one of his most personal films so far, and one of his most at peace. 8/10.

• Maurice Jones