Asteroid City

UK Release Date: 20 June 2023

Certification: 12A
Director: Wes Anderson
Cast: Bob Balaban, Adrien Brody, Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Willem Dafoe, Hope Davis, Grace Edwards, Rupert Friend, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Hanks, Maya Hawke, Scarlett Johansson, Edward Norton, Stephen Park, Tony Revolori, Margot Robbie, Jake Ryan, Liev Schreiber, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Wright

Rating: 75%

Review:

Wes' most visually striking film to date. He has became renowned for his eccentric, quirky style that has taken over the internet in recent months. At the height of his popularity, Wes released perhaps his least accessible film to date - it's not got to win anyone over but fans of his work will thoroughly enjoy Asteroid City. Exceptionally lit monotone shots detailing the production of the play combined with the glorified vibrancy of the play itself. The sets are designed with perfection in mind. Costume designs fit the aesthetic. Neon greens, vast blues and dry oranges capture the attention of the audience. 

Alexandre Desplat's score plays into the whimsical nature of it all. An enticing other-worldly chirp accompanies the music as he captures the wonder of first contact. There's a western feel as the film is introduced but it soon transitions to a sci-fi score reminiscent of that of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. 

Great performances all round from the entirety of the ensemble cast. Every single member of Wes' larger than life production gets a moment to shine. The two leads, Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson, give career bests. Both play their roles with impeccable sympathy and complexity that encourage the audience to engage in their development in character as the film progresses. Steve Carell is lively as always - not once failing to make me laugh for little movements that he carries out in the background. But for me, Maya Hawke stole the show. She perfectly incorporates the tone of Asteroid City into her performance. An unawareness and confusion surrounds her character whilst she attempts to maintain a sense of semblance as events unfold around her. 

Asteroid City is perhaps Wes Anderson's most thematically rich piece of work since Fantastic Mr. Fox. The film packs a lot of emotional weight into its brief runtime. Ending with a feeling of existential dread, pondering the existence of other forms of life from further beyond. 

A conversation between the playwright and the main actor of the play itself summarises Asteroid City with ease. 

"I still don't understand the play."

"Doesn't matter, just keep telling the story."

Asteroid City is more than a documentary within a play, its a sci-fi western tackling difficult themes and convoluted storylines. It shouldn't be completely understood but should feel relatable and somewhat concerning.