In a bid to secure his family’s legacy, an international tycoon brings his nun-daughter into his most daring scheme yet in this tale of espionage and intrigue from legendary filmmaker Wes Anderson.

The Garden Cinema View:

With pastel colours, deadpan humour, and an all-star cast playing it with typical emotional detachment, The Phoenician Scheme feels like Anderson has (once again) made a pastiche of Wes Anderson. Unlike Asteroid City though, Anderson's latest offering makes no pretence of exploring profound philosophical themes. Instead, he uses the redemption story of business tycoon Zsa-zsa Korda (played with deadpan gusto by Benicio Del Toro) as an excuse to unleash his remarkable comedic instincts and showcase his artistic prowess.

Featuring cartoonish airplanes drifting alongside puffy clouds, harmless crashes, and grenades that never detonate, the film evokes the aesthetics of animation more than any of his previous works. With a parade of cameo appearances (Bryan Cranston, Tom Hanks, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson) dressed in outrageously funny costumes and delivering absurd lines with impeccable timing, together with finely tuned, sharp camera movements, the film provides a highly entertaining viewing experience.

There are seeds of larger concepts such as corruption, hubris, and redemption, but Anderson doesn't seem eager to develop these ideas further. Nevertheless, the level of craftsmanship is exceptionally high, and it's clear that Anderson had a blast making it!

Cast:
Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch