‘The French Dispatch’. The Very Best Of Wes Anderson.
A Film Review.
Famed American Writer/Director Wes Anderson has come a long way since his feature film debut with ‘Bottle Rocket’ in 1996.
He’s since gone on to direct ten feature films, six shorts and several advertisements for house hold brands like Stella Artois and American Express.
We’re all well aware of his signature aesthetic which truly began to take shape during his sophomore outing with ‘Rushmore’ (1998) and has only evolved with every endeavor since.
But it’s with his latest entry, ‘The French Dispatch’ (2021) where he truly shines as a writer/director more than ever before; Showcasing his mastery of storytelling by pooling together everything we have grown to cherish and love about watching a Wes Anderson film.
But how does he do it?
How does Anderson, whose repertoire is so ingrained in the fabric of modern cinema, manage to deliver such varied entries all while staying true to his unique and distinct creative vision?
Well for one thing…
The Band’s All Back Together (Plus a Few New Faces)
Anderson returns with his merry troupe of actors and writers for their tenth outing together to deliver what I believe can be best described as a love letter to Journalism.
Written with frequent collaborators Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman (‘Moonrise Kingdom’, ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ and ‘Isle Of Dogs’); The trio navigate a story inspired by the work of British artist, writer and illustrator, Hugo Guinness about the final issue of an American newspaper and its outpost set in the fictional 20th Century French town of Ennui.
The film boasts a robust ensemble cast of familiar Anderson favorites such as Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Adrian Brody, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Léa Seydoux, Mathieu Amalric and Tilda Swinton alongside notable entries Benicio del Toro, Timothée Chalamet, Lyna Khoudri, Stephen Park and Jeffery Wright.
Delightful cameos from Elizabeth Moss, Tony Revolori, Christoph Waltz, Liev Schrieber and Rupert Friend round out a cast who’s screen times respectively appear to be measured most deliberately.
This is not unlike a Michelin star chef aiming to create a perfect balance of flavors for a signature course.
But then again, casting has always been and remains one of Anderson’s strong suits. I would argue this has much to do with the utilization of his go-to ensemble of character actors along with the introduction of name talent whom you wouldn’t necessarily expect to play against type so effectively.
Where Story Meets Style
To be honest, you’d be hard pressed to derive a concrete plot upon watching ‘The French Dispatch’.
Apart from the obvious commentary on Journalism as a whole. Anderson puts on display the full weight of his prowess as a filmmaker here to deliver what could arguably pass for a retrospective of his collective works.
There really isn’t much clarity as to what we, the audience are supposed to feel or take away. No definitive moral or character resolution.
Rather, we’re invited to enjoy the splendor of visual craftsmanship and freewheeling performances neatly presented to us in a prologue, three stories and an end note, achieved by veterans of their craft without, at any point, being asked to take any of it too seriously.
I would unequivocally label this film as his most abstract to date and to me, this is where story meets style.
We’re all used to experiencing the familiar & evolving hallmarks that make up a Wes Anderson film. Yet to see them all combined into one picture truly is a feast for the eyes that surly can’t be missed.
His clever use of 2-D animation in tandem with theatrical blocking within miniature and floating set pieces only enhance to suspend our reality as we’re welcomed into a fictional world with exceptional attention to detail and an acute awareness of self as a filmmaker.
It’s undeniably refreshing to witness a filmmaker so confident and so willing to best himself at every turn. I find this not only elevates the performances of his cast and crew but also the quality of storytelling as whole.
And I dare say, this could very well be the point of ‘The French Dispatch’; Not to to necessarily tell a story in traditional Wes Anderson fashion but rather to highlight the very best of his storytelling.
Parting Thoughts
However way you choose to spin it, ‘The French Dispatch’ is undoubtably a film by Wes Anderson and one that feels more like an evolution of style and less like cookie-cutter filmmaking; A trap I find most filmmakers tend to fall into.
If this is any indication of what we can expect from Anderson in his upcoming work, specifically his follow-up feature film, ‘Asteroid City’ (2022) then I’ll see you at the movies.
Have you seen ‘The French Dispatch’? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
As always, Thanks so much reading!
If you enjoyed this article, consider joining Medium for unlimited access to even more thought-provoking writers from around the world for just $5/month.
