For A24, few studios could wish to have a year as successful as 2019. What it lacked in Oscar nominations it more than made up for with a roster of talent that helped to strengthen their brand. With a diverse group of stories that ranged in genre and subject, it was one of the moments where they solidified their reputation as a modern powerhouse. By ending the year with Uncut Gems (2019), they set up the promise of a wild and unpredictable 2020 that would build on prior success. However, there was one thing so chaotic not even The Safdie Brothers could’ve predicted. The COVID-19 Pandemic was a historic, once in a century event that turned every industry on its head, leaving the future uncertain. That included A24, who became one of the first victims of theatrical distribution with First Cow (2020). Not only that, but it would mark their least productive year in their first decade with Kelly Reichardt’s first collaboration marking a third of their entire line-up. With that said, First Cow’s reputation is more than “the pandemic movie.” It was another masterpiece from the studio who knew how to play their cards.
The story begins with a partnership between Reichardt and writer Jonathan Raymond. They had worked together on various projects going back to Old Joy (2006) and developed good chemistry with each other. Along with screenwriting, Raymond was a novelist who would publish the story “The Half Lives” detailing a multicontinental journey that would take its characters from America to Asia and back. While Reichardt was known for producing low-budget films, there was something about this story that spoke to her. She demanded that Raymond would sell her the rights first. An eagerness formed, becoming the first project in a lengthy career that Reichardt was entirely invested in making. While it would remind viewers of previous films like Meek’s Cutoff (2011) and even Wendy and Lucy (2008), it was a chance for her to do a bigger exploration of nature and capitalism by exploring where everything started.
But the question ultimately became how she would adapt it. She would never be able to get financing for a faithful production. At some point, she came to the revelation that what she needed was a cow to center the story of two frontiersmen. Initially calling the draft “The Slowest Elk,” she began to realize that she wanted to ground it in a place during the 1800s, which would be in Oregon. With the first moment being that of a character digging into the dirt, it also created the sense that this would be rooted in a moment. She felt comfortable having the story develop slowly, creating a work of intimacy that allowed for character growth.
John Magaro, who played Cookie, would say that he was very impressed with the initial draft. While it wasn’t necessarily the most dialogue driven, he was engrossed in how well she described the scenery. It made him eager to read more of her scripts and caused him to quickly sign onto the project. Given that he was also a cook in real life, the chance to play one onscreen was an easy sell.
The other question would become who would play the titular role. Who was the First Cow? Reichardt would joke that after days of head hunting for actors, she would find joy in switching over to cows. After narrowing things down, she decided that she wanted a Jersey Cow to be the central figure and thus focused on her target. Evie would come to take the role and was said to be a delight on set. She wasn’t afraid to stand on a raft as she floated down the river or work closely with Magaro. The actor would go so far as to say he formed a connection with the cow and believed that she was sweet, nudging him whenever she wanted treats. She moved slowly and thus forced the cast to work at her pace, which was an adjustment.
The film would begin production in 2018 and find them returning to an area that Reichardt was fond of. Oregon was a state she had filmed many other films in. Magaro was also enamored by the fact that nature was undisturbed, which allowed for a more natural connection to the scenery. It was true that they were on their phones in between shoots and were constantly standing under heating lamps and wearing hand warmers, but otherwise, it was a completely natural film. As someone who was curious about the history of the area, Reichardt took extra care to make sure that the details were accurate.
A major influence on the film was a museum located in Eugene, OR called Grande Ronde. Upon getting permission to use their resources, Reichardt found them willing to partner with the crew to produce authentic works. They gave her access to documentation and artifacts to help her get more into the headspace of the characters. Elsewhere, she was given a cookbook called “The Lewis and Clarke Cookbook” that she gave Magaro. He would get into character by cooking every recipe in this 19th century recipe guide. Elsewhere, she teamed with the local indigenous tribe The Chinook to get other details right, including the language. Several of their canoes can be seen in First Cow. With all of that said, Reichardt mentioned that because their language wasn’t phonetic, she was unsure if she edited the language in a faithful way.
The production was a nice chance to remember the history of America. There was consideration for how the white men impacted The Chinook as well as the nature of how Chinese people would be seen if they participated in American capitalism. There was a delicate effort to make sure that this was portrayed respectfully. With that said, Reichardt was so self-conscious of the modern conservative political landscape that she felt comfortable mocking white masculinity, even having characters be brutish towards each other. The fact that the two leads who are the most aggressive hunters are the nicest only adds to the amusing subtext.
The film would make its premiere at The Telluride Festival in August 2019. The reviews were largely positive and set Reichardt up for one of her biggest successes in her career. With A24’s Fall proving to be one of their strongest, many believed that First Cow was going to be a major indie hit. With plans of a slow roll-out, everyone was sure that the gravy train would keep moving forward. Had you stopped during the weekend of March 16, 2020, there was a good chance that you might believe it to be true. It was Reichardt’s best opening to date. However, that would also involve ignoring some bigger truths not only nationally, but globally.
At the time, The COVID-19 Pandemic was still considered manageable. Even as it spread quickly, everyone was sure that it wouldn’t last. However, between December 2019 and March 2020, things looked worse and worse. Different places were calling for a state of emergency and public gatherings were essentially canceled. Reichardt would go so far as to claim that she was nervous at the premiere of First Cow because of the potential threat. This would eventually lead to the film being one of the first prominent new releases to be pulled from theaters. Some contemplated that it hurt its Oscar chances, though Reichardt was also vocal on her antipathy for the organization. With everything shutting down, the future of the film felt cut down in its prime. She would ultimately say that she understood the measures and thinks it was the right call, but she was still resentful due to believing in the power of cinemas as a venue for entertainment.
The film would eventually have a proper home video release after a few months. However, it was during a time where Premium Video On Demand was still in its infancy and various other studios were trying to find ways to recoup their losses. This was before Sony would release their entire 2021 line-up day of release on HBO Max. It was a no man’s land, and First Cow got lost in the mix. While it had the initial buzz to fall back on, it was still difficult to stand out in a market that included bigger titles like Trolls World Tour (2020). Even then, Reichardt used the time to appreciate being alone and meditate on existence. She felt that her themes of solitude allowed the film to resonate with audiences which helped to give it a second wind come The Fall and the start of awards season.
Elsewhere, A24 failed to thrive in 2020. While they would partner well with Apple TV+, First Cow would arguably be their only “hit” of the year. They would receive backlash for wanting to have Saint Maud (2021) released in theaters and on home video the same day. While it would become more socially accepted, the outlet for media was part of an uncertain time. It was a truncated line-up with many postponing releases. Many believed that this would work in Reichardt’s favor, and it did. Upon getting several nominations for The Gotham Awards, the buzz around the film returned. It would become one of the best-reviewed films of the year and lead to many other nominations from established guilds. However, it wasn’t meant to be and caused First Cow to be considered one of the most snubbed films of 2020. It’s a fact made worse by the fact that The Oscars opened eligibility to home video releases for that year in order to compensate for the pandemic conundrum.
As mentioned, the film would end up becoming one of the best reviewed movies of 2020. According to critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, the film would receive a 96% rating, becoming one of A24’s best reviewed works to date. Leading the positivity was Kevin Maher of Times (UK) who noted, “Reichardt, also the co-writer, delivers a patient and earnest parable about environmentalism, American destiny and the value of friendship.” Elsewhere was Deborah Ross of The Spectator who suggested, “It is touching, tender, original, entrancing, definitely the best cow film of the year. Plus it's also a quietly masterful thriller where a clafoutis (blueberry) will have you on the edge of your seat.” The few who disagreed included Armond White of National Review who claimed, “We sit and watch Reichardt play out her bitter thesis without being astonished.” Overall, it remains one of the most distinguished films of the director’s impressive career.
First Cow may be mired in unexpected controversy, but it managed to persevere thanks to passion and effort to keep the film out there. It might’ve been seen as a victim at first, but it slowly became a triumph of what a film can do in a pandemic environment. Along with being one of the films that Reichardt was most passionate about, it was the start of a partnership with A24 that would find them teaming up again with Showing Up (2023). Given that she had discussed how the pandemic made her feel like people were connected to art and communities, it’s easy to believe that maybe she took some inspiration from the interim of this film.
Up next is a film that marked the start of another partnership. While A24 had done a lot of work with Showtime and DirecTV in the past, this was going to be a connection that would see them producing potential Oscar-caliber work. While neither of their two films for the streaming service would land, it was essential to help define them as a prestigious brand that could appeal to a wider market. Given that 2020 was also a presidential election year, it makes sense that their next dip into a documentary would be one that subverted the narrative and focused on how groupthink impacted children through the lens of an annual summit. With a buzzworthy premise, it was a perfect view into what A24’s 2020 could’ve looked like if they had more wiggle room.
Coming Up Next: “Boy’s State” (2020)
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