Movie Review: Eddington

3.5 stars out of 5

Dear Ari Aster: I promise I’ll attend your next movie while remembering that it is written and directed by you, the same guy who made Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau Is Afraid, all of which I liked. Hey, it’s partially your fault for putting your credit at the end, and for making yet another very different and slightly less messed-up movie.

To its credit, this is the first pandemic/Black Lives Matter/Antifa/local politics/Big Tech/anti-pedophile satire that I know of. We meet Joaquin Phoenix, county sheriff who doesn’t like wearing a mask. This puts him at odds with small-town Eddington mayor Pedro Pascal and his lockdown measures, though they didn’t really like each other before that anyway. Joaquin has an uninterested wife, Emma Stone, and a conspiracy-theory-craving mother-in-law. Emma’s interest is only sparked by Austin “Elvis” Butler, walking conspiracy theory. Joaquin decides to run for mayor against Pedro, while local youth take to the empty streets of Eddington, New Mexico, in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

Despite the seeming madcap quality of the description above, Aster allows the sleepy nature of his setting to heavily infiltrate his pacing. For a long, slow time, it feels like nothing much of significance happens. And then, a whole lot happens, as Eddington earns Aster’s signature “fucked up” touch. But the tone shift happens too late, in my humble opinion.

Joaquin Phoenix is again a pleasure to watch, as a man struggling to regain control of his life. Pedro Pascal is solid as a politician who is smiling on the outside, but making back-alley deals. Emma Stone doesn’t get very much to do beyond acting annoyed and tired, that is a shame.

There is some very sharp satire here, and many laughs, which all might’ve stood out more if the 2 hour, 28 minute running time was trimmed in the Editing(ton) room.