Benedict Cumberbatch starrer The Power of the Dog was released on Netflix in December 2021. The Western psychological drama film is directed by Jane Campion and stars Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Thomasin McKenzie, and others. Benedict plays the role of Phil Burbank. His character is quite unpleasant but won the actor enormous appreciation from fans and critics. Actor Tom Holland is also quite impressed with his performance.
Tom and Benedict starred in Spider-Man: No Way Home in the same month. The two have worked previously in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. So who better than Tom to interview Benedict for The Power of the Dog? Holland expressed his views on Benedict’s character and performance in a candid interview.
In a video shared by Netflix film, Holland says to Cumberbatch, “The film is so shocking and it’s so gut-wrenching and the intricacies of your character — I’ve never seen a character arc quite like it. For the first time in knowing you, I really hated you. I thought you were horrible and so grotesque and awful. As the film progresses, what I loved about it was that it has these themes of toxic masculinity and gaslighting but it explores the problem rather than the problem just being present. Not that his actions are justified in any way, but you understand why he is the way he is.”
Benedict Cumberbatch had a good response to Tom’s reaction. The Sherlock actor agrees with how Tom felt about Phil Burbank in The Power of the Dog. Cumberbatch stated, “His behaviour, as you said, is repugnant. I’ve had some reactions, of people saying, ‘I can’t watch all of your film. You’re so awful. “I then get the reaction of people that they go back to it, maybe a second time through, or even like you, start off in this position of being repelled and then lean in and see him as what he is really, which is a tragic figure.”
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Watch Tom Holland Interviewing Benedict Cumberbatch
The Power of the Dog was first premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and reportedly received a standing ovation. Director Jane Campion won the Silver Lion for Best Direction. It also won Best Film awards at AACTA International Awards, Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Austin Film Critics Association, Boston Society of Film Critics, Chicago Film Critics Association. Cumberbatch starrer is also nominated for Critics’ Choice Awards, Golden Reel Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Watch the film here.
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