Time for one of the most hotly anticipated films of the festival*.
The French Dispatch
Dir. Wes Anderson / Dur. 102 mins
Strand:- Gala Presentation
In A Nutshell:- An obituary, a travel guide and three stories highlight the work of the magazine The French Dispatch on the occasion of its final issue.
The Good:- The good news is that Wes Anderson is still firing on all cylinders here in what is probably his most overtly comedic film. The episodic structure and recreation of a magazine format on screen is perfectly suited to Anderson’s style; arguably he’s been making borderline episodic films for years anyway. The cast are uniformly good, with old hands and newcomers alike slotting superbly into the Anderson style. Of the three stories presented, the one depicting Benicio Del Toro’s tortured artist prisoner is probably the best but that’s no slight on the other tales. Particular shout out to Jeffrey Wright for looking like he’s been appearing in Wes Anderson films for years, so effortlessly does he fit into the Anderson style. Anderson’s practical use of moving sets as well a selection of lovely moments where the camera across actors and physical props used to create the illusion of a freeze frame are beautiful uses of the screen.
The Bad:- If I have a minor criticism (and it is minor), it’s that the animated sequence, while funny, didn't quite work for me in terms of the style of animation. I get the necessity of that scene (from a budget point of view) but the animation just doesn’t feel quite good enough for the task. Also, if you’re not a fan of Anderson’s work, I suspect that this is unlikely to win you over (fortunately for me, I am a fan).
The Verdict:- A truly joyous romp and up there with The Grand Budapest Hotel as one of Anderson’s best. Go and watch this one.
Screening Notes:- No Q&A as such as it’s a gala presentation but we did get an introduction and a music video from Jarvis Cocker whose music can be heard as the pop star Tip-Top in the middle section of the film. There was a video introduction from Wes Anderson who is currently in Madrid filming his next film, Asteroid City, so couldn’t be there in person. The highlight though was brief appearance from the editor of The French Dispatch, Bill Murray, who came out for a few minutes and was as charming and funny as you would hope Bill Murray to be (he’s already finished his filming for Asteroid City).
*It’s worth noting that I didn't book a ticket for the new Edgar Wright film Last Night In Soho at the festival as I’m seeing it later in the month at the BFI with him doing full Q&A.
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