Ari Aster’s Surreal Western "Eddington" Premieres at Cannes Film Festival
Ari Aster, the director behind the critically acclaimed films "Hereditary" and "Midsommar", has once again pushed the boundaries of cinema with his latest film "Eddington", which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, is a surreal and gory western that tackles a range of contentious issues, including Covid-19, online conspiracy theories, Black Lives Matter, and white privilege.
According to a review by the BBC, "Eddington" is a blackly comic modern western that puts everything into its portrayal of the US’s most pressing issues. The film is set in the tiny desert town of Eddington, New Mexico, where all of the country’s most contentious talking points are squeezed into one small community. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Joe, a shambling and barely competent sheriff who likes to argue that none of these problems are "here problems". However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that Joe’s own personal aggravations and anxieties are deeply intertwined with the wider issues affecting the town.
The BBC notes that "Eddington" is both a quirky lampoon of small-town politics and a feverish state-of-the-nation satire, which can be a jarring combination. The film rambles slowly and repetitively from place to place, from subject to subject, and from genre to genre, making it a challenging but thought-provoking watch. As the BBC states, "You watch it with a mixture of detached respect that Aster is ticking off issues ignored by so many films, gloom that he is so pessimistic about those issues, mild amusement at the eccentricity of it all, and frustration that he doesn’t just find a plot and stick to it."
The film features a strong cast, including Emma Stone as Joe’s wife Louise, and Deirdre O’Connell as his mother-in-law Dawn. Pedro Pascal also stars as Ted, the town’s mayor, who has signed a deal allowing a vast tech-hub to be built nearby. As the story unfolds, Joe becomes increasingly disgruntled and decides to run against Ted as an anti-lockdown candidate in the imminent mayoral election.
As noted by the BBC, "Eddington" takes a dramatic turn when a murder transforms the film into a farcical crime thriller with echoes of the Coen brothers’ "Fargo" and "No Country for Old Men", as well as Paul Thomas Anderson’s "Inherent Vice". The tension and intrigue heighten, and the outcome suddenly seems to matter. However, the film’s low-level strangeness jumps to surreal and gory heights, leaving viewers reeling and breathless.
The BBC concludes that "Eddington" is a film that is both excessive and sprawling, but also heroic in its uncompromising determination to go its own way. Despite its overstuffed nature, the film is a testament to Ari Aster’s vision and his willingness to tackle difficult subjects head-on. As the BBC states, "It’s amazing, too, that he has got away with such an unhinged project so soon after Beau is Afraid."
Eddington: A Film of Uncompromising Vision
- Director: Ari Aster
- Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler, Emma Stone
- Run time: 2hr 25m
The film’s unflinching portrayal of the US’s most pressing issues makes it a must-see for fans of cinema that challenges and provokes. With its surreal and gory western setting, "Eddington" is a film that will leave viewers talking long after the credits roll.
