Director Ari Aster is notorious for his dark, disturbing dramas such as “Hereditary” and “Midsommar.” However, with his newest film “Eddington,” Aster has made the jump over to a new subject matter — American politics.
The story takes place during May 2020 in the fictional town of Eddington, New Mexico, following sheriff Joe Cross, played by Joaquin Phoenix, as he faces off against the town’s mayor Ted Garcia, played by Pedro Pascal. As tensions flare between the two, the increasing protests and political divide in the town raise the stakes to new heights.
The best part of the film is how perfectly it recreates the May 2020 environment in the United States. Not only is COVID-19 a heavy presence in the movie, but so are mask mandates, Black Lives Matter protests, conspiracy theories and much more. All of this comes together to create a viscerally transportive and immersive experience to a time so recent that the viewer can’t help but connect to it.
What makes these subjects so engrossing is how deeply they’re explored. Aster isn’t afraid to dive head-first into these controversial topics, which is likely to make every individual in the audience uncomfortable at some point, no matter their political beliefs. Every party, belief system and worldview is both heavily supported and scrutinized at some point, which is exactly what a film like this should do.
If a movie is going to focus primarily on politics, then it should do it in a way that allows every viewer to be engaged with it, not just those who agree with the film’s message. Aster nails this, as when the credits roll, it’s genuinely unclear where his opinions fall. It instead forces the audience to confront their own beliefs, as opposed to being forced to listen to one filmmaker’s.
Messaging aside, the film’s technical aspects are mesmerizing. Aster’s films are heavily reliant on their environments, and having grown up in New Mexico, he has a distinct and clear understanding of it that can be felt throughout the story.
The desolate and almost barren feeling that came with quarantine and social distancing is also executed masterfully, acting both to confine the story and let it breathe. Also, reminiscent of the general feeling of the time, the colors are muted and the sky remains overcast for almost the entire runtime.
Aster is not the only individual that shines, as Phoenix delivers what may be the best film performance of the year thus far. Pascal is not far behind, however, as the dialogue scenes that they share are some of the film’s best.
Unfortunately, while the film’s extensive character work is one of its biggest strengths, it also creates its most prevalent weakness. Cross’s wife Louise, played by Emma Stone, is a woefully misplaced character that sticks out like a sore thumb in such a mature movie.
Instead of being a nuanced, well-written character with a few quirks like everyone else in the film, she is defined by her quirks and lacks any sort of depth. She is barely even in the movie in the first place, which makes her inclusion at all a bit bewildering and disappointing coming from such a talented character writer like Aster.
Overall, “Eddington” is a masterfully crafted film that’s only a couple of minor blemishes away from being one of the best of the year. Ari Aster delivers an entertaining story and a terrific cast, once again establishing himself as one of the most talented directors working today.
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