This past weekend I finally got a chance to see Wes Andreson’s latest film, The French Dispatch and, without spoilers, I am here to tell you to go see it ASAP. To say that I loved this film would be an understatement. When the final credits appeared on screen I was in awe and wished that I could immediately rewatch it to see details I had missed the first time around.
The film follows four distinct stories, told in anthology style, taken from the pages of fictional publication “The French Dispatch,” chronicling the arts, politics, and food sections of the magazine with the fourth story revolving around the death of the editor. Each segment has a new cast with a new story, all taking place within the town of Ennui-sur-Blasé in the past.
This film mirrors the cinematography of other Anderson films with bright colors, constant symmetrical shots, and campy dialogue and acting. However, half of this film is in black and white which was something new to Anderson’s cannon. The stories all occur in a period between the major world wars with colorful scenes interjecting between the black and white, reminding viewers that they are watching a film and breaking the complete immersion this film offers.
The usual Anderson actors, such as Owen Wilson, make an appearance alongside new faces for Anderson’s films such as Timothee Chalamet and Elizabeth Moss with consistently impressive and lively performances across the board. One character, played by Jeffery Wright, gives a nod to James Baldwin within the last segmented story and was a far more realistic approach to storytelling than past films by this prolific director. I truly cannot express how much I enjoyed this film and highly recommend everyone who enjoys art-house type movies to see it as soon as possible! As for other films by this director, I recommend Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The Royal Tenenbaums to experience more of his cinematic cannon before watching his latest to understand the nuances and tropes of his films.