I watched the film The French Dispatch Sunday and it is a MUST see.
It’s fascinating for me because after seeing stars jammed into disappointing films Licorice Pizza and Don’t Look Up this was PACKED with huge stars and was a total joy to watch.
It’s a Wes Anderson film who makes films that I feel like I should like more but just don’t and some GREAT ones.
Rushmore and the VASTLY underrated and still little known Bottle Rocket are delightful if not uncomfortable at times to watch. Yet I thought more artsy movies like The Life Aquatic and Moonrise Kingdom and others were meh at best.
This was different.
The premise is really simple. The French Dispatch is printed publication and the final edition is to be published on the creator’s (Bill Murray) death. Each scene is a different story in the final magazine.
The script is fantastic, the visuals are lovely, the pace is perfect it hits on every level.
I wish I could say this in some other way but I can’t. Nearly every actress and actor in it has home run time on screen where they perfectly play their part and don’t try to make it more than it is.
My favorite is a rock star segment featuring Jeffrey Wright and Liev Schreiber in a 70’s looking interview show where Jeffrey Wright is describing his story. The film switches into the story itself and then comes back to the interview. The two actors have such a lovely rapport between them that is easy going and silky smooth to enjoy.
A close second is an imprisoned artist story featuring Benicio Del Toro, Tilde Swinton and Adrien Brody which ushers in the idea of Modern Art. It mirrors a line Bill Murray says that when writing something make it seem that you meant for it be that way if it’s a bit strange. The writing attacks the world of Modern Art that is so on point for me.
There’s a story about a revolution/manifesto including Frances McDormand and one of my favorite young actors in the world Timothee Chalamet who I absolutely adored in Little Women and several other films. It was a little edgy at times but the way the movie frames the unstable foundations of protests and movements is spectacular.
One more features a kidnapping story that was fascinating that does an incredible switch between real life and animated action that is just wonderful to watch. Interestingly Owen Wilson who is another all time fave whose story is good, first but not the best.
Bill Murray is his understated and obvious best in the movie. His timing remains impeccable and he’s hard not to love. He vibes with all of the actors/actresses eccentricities beautifully.
Guess what? I didn’t even mention above that the movie includes Ed Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Elizabeth Moss, Henry Winkler/Bob Balaban (in a REALLY funny cameo as uncles) and others.
Here’s the deal.
The movie isn’t great because it’s got a bunch of stars in it. The movies is made greater because the huge names in it play their roles for what they are without trying to make more of it than it is.
Remember We are the World by USA for Africa? Great song but remember when every singer tried to show their entire repertoire in 7 seconds, it’s icky.
Remember Licorice Pizza and Don’t Look Up? Those films seemingly just jammed the actors/actresses in either to have them in it or because it may have been chic to be in it.
I’m not naïve, I’m sure it was chic to be in The French Dispatch but the script and film brings out what’s best in this cast not the other way around. It almost felt like it was a group that got together for a Broadway production to work at scale.
The film is a touch long and does get it a little on the high intellectual side at times and yet I was transfixed.
Wes Anderson got this one right I hope you check it out. Oh and if you haven’t seen Bottle Rocket PLEASE watch it 😊