Movie Review - The French Dispatch

 

One of the things that many directors struggle with nowadays is finding an identity and vision that can be seen as unique to them. We all know Steven Spielberg as being the guy that made big budget films a big deal. We know the late Stanley Kubrick as the man who seeks perfection in his work, no matter how many takes every scene must have. We know Quentin Tarantino as the guy with the know how for dialogue. Plus a number of other filmmakers that have firmly made themselves household names and among them is Wes Anderson. A man known for his visual flair, eccentricity and his fast-paced narrating style. Best known as the man behind some of the greatest ever made films, he has made a ton of great films that are all unique and different to your typical big blockbuster film. This particular film (and another one delayed by the pandemic) is quite different to his other works, but its still very much a Wes Anderson film in every way. Let's take a look:

The overall film is focused on the titular fictional newspaper known as the French Dispatch as it sets out to release its final issue following the death of the editor-in-chief, Arthur Howitzer Jr. (played by Bill Murray and based on Harold Ross, the co-founder of the New Yorker). In this final issue are three previously published articles, each of which sets the stage for the three stories that we watch (along with a couple of short stories at the beginning). One story focuses on a mentally disturbed and convicted artist whose work soon attracts attention from the outside. Another story is about a student protest that eventually becomes a game of chess, and some romance is involved too. And the last story is about a reporter reminiscing on some work he witnessed with the police.

Very much an anthology film, with every story (long or otherwise) having a common connection with each other. Very different to the films I usually watch and review, but this is a great, masterclass piece of work from the great Wes Anderson. It's funny, got some good set pieces and visuals and a near all star cast that act their socks off. Plus, I like the idea of only putting in colour when it's necessary and having some animated sequences here and there. It really makes the film feel like reading a newspaper with articles, jokes, comics and so many other great things. Some parts do feel unconnected, and it won't be to everyone's tastes because of how different it is to other films. But it's Wes Anderson doing what he does best and giving us newspaper fans a love letter to it all if nothing else. 9/10