The Phoenician Scheme
Review by Ryan Michael Painter
Since his debut feature film Bottle Rocket in 1996, Wes Anderson has worked with cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman on all his live-action films. The Phoenician Scheme sees Bruno Delbonnel step behind the camera.
Fear not, Delbonnel is a perfect fit. His work with Jean-Pierre Jeunet on Amélie, Tim Burton on Big Eyes, and the Cohen Brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs being examples of Delbonnel’s ability to translate and capture the artist vision of the filmmakers he works with.
101 Minutes, Rated PG-13
Written by Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
Directed by Wes Anderson
Synopsis:
The story of a family and a family business.
The Phoenician Scheme is about Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), a wealthy businessman, who, following a near-death experience (not his first), decides to make his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapeton), a nun, the heir to his estate. Hesitant to accept, Liesl shadows Zsa-zsa as he brings his latest project to life while hounded by assassins and terrorists.
Wes Anderson’s films are gloriously convoluted. They feature a long list of characters and subplots that often whirl around a single location or central event. The Phoenician Scheme is something of an outlier in that it takes place in numerous locations and is almost entirely focused on a singular character as he attempts to make a seemingly impossible business venture a fully funded reality.
It is a film about manipulation and a mix of optimism and sheer determination. There is a sense of bewilderment as well. Surely business doesn’t operate this way. That would be lunacy.
I suspect this is exactly how business works.
I admire and enjoyed the film immensely. And yet, I must admit that I found it to be more presentational than Anderson’s previous efforts. Typically, I’ve found Anderson’s films to be more immersive. I connect with the characters. We’re all “others” in our worlds (imaginary or otherwise). I can’t explain why I’m on the outside looking in on this one. Maybe the absurdity here is too close to the truth? Maybe I’m troubled by the idea of F. Murray Abraham being a religious figure.
Some are calling the film a return to form. I disagree on the grounds that I love Asteroid City and the Roald Dahl shorts.
Will Wes Anderson ever make a film that doesn’t feel like it was made by Wes Anderson? Does he need to? I think not. If you enjoy his adventures, you’ll like this one as well. To those who find him too whimsical; look deeper. Are we defined by what we leave behind?
The Phoenician Scheme is in theaters June 6 and stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis.
And remember, if the BEST thing you can say about a movie is that it’s “visually stunning,” then they’ve done something wrong.
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