Reviews for Wes Anderson’s “The Phoenician Scheme”: A Humanistic Exploration of the Capitalist Ethos
According to cinemadrame news agency, Wes Anderson’s film “The Phoenician Scheme” received mixed reviews following its premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. The film currently holds a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 29 reviews.
The film focuses on the tumultuous relationship between a father and daughter within a family business rife with betrayal and dubious decisions. Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, and Mia Threapleton star in the lead roles, with Bill Murray, Riz Ahmed, Jeffrey Wright, Tom Hanks, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Rupert Friend, Willem Dafoe, and Bryan Cranston appearing in supporting roles. The film is based on a story written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola.
The Guardian gives the film three out of five stars, writing that Mia Threapleton delivers a “brilliant” performance in this “spiritless” work: “It’s consistently entertaining, told with the usual force and conviction but less of the romantic excess we’ve seen before, and less of the childlike loneliness discoverable in Anderson’s best films.”
Vanity Fair’s critic writes: “Anderson saves his film from oblivion at the end, concluding his story with a moral discussion and disarmingly charming – and in some ways thought-provoking – manner.”
New York Magazine writes: “It’s a film that makes you want to pause its frames to appreciate the oddity and wit of its details, while also finding a reason to return to this world in general.”
BBC writes: “It’s immensely enjoyable, but there’s a chance the story might feel overly irregular to you halfway through, unless your tolerance for the director’s quirks is exceptionally high.”
IndieWire writes: “The Phoenician Scheme‘ is one of Anderson’s busiest films, and at the same time – at least on first viewing – it’s the least enjoyable compared to his previous works.”
RogerEbert.com writes: “The Phoenician Scheme, as usual, is star-studded and spectacular, and it’s unlikely anyone will consider it Anderson’s best film, but it’s as easy to love as it is difficult to dislike.”
The Playlist writes that “The Phoenician Scheme” is not “profound or meaningful” in any scene: “Nevertheless, it remains captivating and entertaining.”
Time Out writes that Anderson’s film is like a puzzle full of details: “At times it’s exhausting, but when the whole film comes together, it becomes deeply satisfying.”
The Independent writes: “This film delivers everything you expect from Wes Anderson’s works. If you like his films, you’ll love it. If you don’t, you’ll probably break out in hives again.”
The Hollywood Reporter writes: “The Phoenician Scheme‘ intertwines the filmmaker’s ontological concerns – including the unchecked power of the billionaire class, rampant greed, and environmental issues – with a kind of humanistic and impactful narrative that was missing in his recent works.”
Variety writes that the film tells a “moving tale” about a father-daughter relationship but “ultimately seems far more interested in exploring the Gilded Age [and predatory] spirit of 20th-century capitalism than in addressing its consequences.”
It seems critics have quite a range of opinions on “The Phoenician Scheme,” particularly regarding its narrative depth and how it fits into Wes Anderson’s established style. Do any of these reviews particularly resonate with your expectations for an Anderson film?
