Eddington Review
Having established himself as one of the most exciting names in horror with 2018’s Hereditary and the following year’s Midsommar, director Ari Aster pivoted somewhat with 2023’s Beau Is Afraid, a surreal, tragicomic odyssey that divided fans of his previous work. Now, he’s back and moving into neo-western territory with the pandemic-themed Eddington.
The title refers to a small town in New Mexico, which is grappling with the early stages of the COVID-19 restrictions. While most comply with the mask and social distancing mandates set by Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), local sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) sees it as unnecessary. After a heated encounter in a supermarket, Joe announces he will be running for mayor against Ted, running on a platform of personal freedom. As the town becomes more unsettled due to political events and social media misinformation, Joe’s irritation turns into a vendetta.
Like an overeager documentarian, Aster puts his camera in every corner of the town, monitoring how both sides of the political divide become more unhinged. For the older conservatives, conspiracy theories spread like wildfire from one social feed to another, while younger left-wing protestors get in over their head with radicalisation. Eddington doesn’t judge either side too harshly, instead noting how quickly a small spat can become a national incident if one bystander presses record on their phone.
It’s interesting, but a lack of message makes the middle act feel weighed down. Many characters are picked up and discarded, adding to the crowd of voices but not substantially enough to move the plot forward. Cast members like Emma Stone, playing Joe’s unsettled wife, and Austin Butler as a cult leader she falls for, struggle to get breathing room amid the ambitious scale of the movie.
However, the lead is never less than engrossing. As Joe, Phoenix charts a slow but gradual path from indifferent everycop to a man possessed. Spurred by a newsfeed he struggles to comprehend, seeing his descent into darkness is something to behold, particularly in the final hour, where his decisions become more erratic. Pascal is not quite as prominent as his co-star, but makes the most of their scenes together. A pragmatic, media-friendly local politician, his calm demeanour covers some question marks over his character, both in how he pushes Joe’s buttons and his political motivations.
Eddington may not feel as vital as Aster’s early work, but it shows the continuing ambition of a filmmaker keen to stretch himself. While he struggles when looking at the broader picture, his illustration of characters driven to extremes makes this modern fable frequently captivating.
★★★★
In UK cinemas 22nd August/ Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler / Dir: Ari Aster / Universal Pictures/ 15
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