Film Review: Eddington

Ari Aster is a very bold independent filmmaker. His breakthrough film Hereditary made waves in the horror genre, and he followed that with the now iconic film Midsommar. He later made Beau is Afraid which was something a lot weirder and quirkier but he is back with his fourth film which could be his most mainstream yet, but it still has that magic and style that Aster is known for with his films. Eddington is a Neo-Modern Western which is set during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic back at the dawn of the decade. The film explores a small remote town in New Mexico called Eddington and just how the politics of COVID-19 affected the locals and officers in the town.

Joaquin Phoenix is the main player in the story as Sheriff Cross. Cross doesn’t agree with the rules and mandates imposed by the global pandemic and wishes to free the town from these regulations. As a result, he plans to go against Ted Garcia, the current Mayor of Eddington, in the race to the next mayoral elections. Pedro Pascal, an actor at the height of his fame at the moment, is in the role of Mayor Garcia as he gives the character humility and cadence in this trying time. There are other characters at play here, like Emma Stone as the Sheriff’s wife, a local cult leader played by Austin Butler, but this is very much the Sheriff’s story.

Power is easily corruptible and we see the slow descent into madness for the Sheriff as he feels like everyone is out to get him. Phoenix really gives it his all into the character, and it is clear himself and Aster have a very good working relationship as they know how to bounce off of each other. Beau is Afraid was a great marriage of material for them both and their continued chemistry on and off screen is very much evident here as well. The story is very long and takes a few dark turns, and even though there is a major focus on the Sheriff you can’t help but want to see more of the other characters. Ted Garcia is a great character with very little screen-time, and I would have loved to have seen more of Butler’s character as well.

Ari Aster is an auteur, and you just have to see his previous works to understand that statement. He has a signature style and narrative with his films. His films are like odyssey’s; they go down a rabbit hole of craziness and darkness and you just don’t know what will happen next. That unpredictable-ness is good as it gives the film an edge, but sadly the film feels very padded and unnecessary. The story goes off into small detours which are never really explained or expanded upon. You are left with wanting more which is usually a good thing but in this case it just makes the film feel like it is lacking something.

Overall, Eddington is a bold film about a time that most of us want to forget. I easily forgot what the time during the pandemic was like and the things we used to take for granted. The politics of the pandemic is a great way into this story but the end of the film turns the film into something else entirely. I appreciate the effort Aster puts into this film but sadly it just never truly delivers what it sets out to do. Saying that this is probably much more accessible and a little less dark that his previous films so other audiences are more welcome to view it.

★★★☆☆

3/5

Final Verdict:

Eddington feels like an Ari Aster film, and it also feels like a Joaquin Phoenix film. You will understand why if you watch it. You need the patience and the mindset of his other films to stick with this story. The pandemic is a great concept to cover with a small-town story such as this but the story has so many tangents that the original idea gets covered up by other plot points. There are some good moments to the film and the actor’s all do a great job as well. Sadly, there isn’t enough substance here to make the film as great as Aster’s other films. It is an admirable job but it is great to see Aster telling more broader stories than what he has done previously.

Thanks for reading today’s blog!

Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions