Asteroid City (2023)

Review

105min

Genre:       Comedy, Drama

Director:     Wes Anderson

Cast:         Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Jake Ryan…and more

Writers:     Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

-Synopsis-

A quirky collection of astronomers, students and their guardians of the mid-1950s gather in the American desert for a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention, only for it to take on a whole new significance with the arrival of out-of-world events in this latest irresistibly idiosyncratic and impeccably dressed ensemble take on humanity from the mind which brought us ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ and ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’.Deep into a prolific period of an already productive and eclectic career that’s instantly identifiable from any frame, Wes Anderson continues his never-ending cinematic mission to explore the human condition in quirky deadpan fashion with imperfect characters in his own inimitable style—one expertly crafted and carefully choreographed ensemble piece at a time. And having previously eulogised dysfunctional families, nautical exploration, European hospitality and ink journalism by harking back to more picturesque but no less tumultuous analogue times, the Texan auteur returns to bring us his personalised ode to scientists and brainiacs . . . by way of the theatre and post-war boom America.

Jason Schwartzman stars as photojournalist and newly widowed father-of-four ‘Augie Steenbeck’, stranded in the desert hamlet of Asteroid City—run by an enterprising host and motel manager (Steve Carell)—waiting for his father-in-law ‘Stanley’ (Tom Hanks) to pick up his three young girls while he chaperones his awkward teen genius ‘Woodrow’ (Jake Ryan) at his astronomer convention among other young brainiacs and their guardians, including ‘Dinah’ (Grace Edwards) and her jaded screen & stage star mother ‘Midge Campbell’ (Scarlett Johansson). But their gathering takes on a new dimension when visitors from far afar make an impromptu visit and ‘General Gibson’ (Jeffrey Wright) with the US government shut down the town and everyone in it, as disparate personalities meld and clash under the desert sun.

Like most of Anderson’s work ‘Asteroid City’ takes an unconventional form, floating back and forth between a seeming fly-on-the-wall stage production of a stargazer desert story, and that same story unfolding on location as the actual film, proving self-referential and breaking fourth walls along the way as it introduces a carefully choreographed cavalcade of characters.

He gathers them all in masterfully designed sets and stunning Spanish desert locations where it was primarily shot by cinematographer and regular Anderson collaborator Robert D. Yeoman (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel) who vividly captures the director’s immaculate and occasionally quaint design aesthetic, which—often inspired by classic Americana (or his version of it)—is here in its natural element of a fictional but genuine mid-1950s setting, all of which sets the undeniable style credentials of the film. Meanwhile French composer Alexandre Desplat (Moonrise Kingdom, The French Dispatch) is once again tasked with setting the mood and the tone with yet another sumptuous score, combined as always with a wonderful soundtrack this time defined by American folk, bluegrass, country & western, and classic pop tunes.

On this canvas of striking locations, sterling production designs and immaculately dressed characters Anderson draws his human portrait, with the impressive ensemble cast as his high-quality paints, featuring a selection of ingenues skilfully led by Jake Ryan and Grace Edwards as the intrepid young heart of the piece, blended with a smorgasbord of screen stalwarts and legends underpinning the hilarity and deadpan drama.

As some have observed from the initial trailer alone, Tom Hanks is solid in a patriarchal role which might have previously been played by go-to Bill Murray, while the likes of Liev Schreiber, Steve Carell, Jeffrey Wright and Tilda Swinton get to subtly chew up the scenery in oddball style. But it’s Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson who make up the emotional and comedic core here as Wes Anderson tackles the film’s themes of loss, grief and trauma—not to mention the pre-requisite dysfunctional family drama—the only way he knows how, in humorous matter-of-fact fashion. With Schwartzman completing a twenty-five-year full circle in the Anderson universe from crafty manipulative teen in 1998’s ‘Rushmore’ to a conflicted widowed father here.

Despite its extra-terrestrial element and an eye fixed on the stars, ‘Asteroid City’ is arguably Anderson’s least adventurous and most contained tale in recent memory, no doubt a reflection of its theatre roots, but although the story may not go very far physically, the characters still travel emotionally . . . or at last as far as Anderson’s deadpan matter-of-fact proclivities will allow them to. Yet like some of his recent efforts ‘Asteroid City’ has been labelled self-indulgent by some who might be disappointed in his devotion to his highly particular lane, but you have to question why those critics are even watching a Wes Anderson film and why they would expect the singular auteur to be anything other than what he’s always been.

For us there’s more than enough in this cinematic bouillabaisse to tickle the taste buds, and everything a Wes Anderson fan might hope for, plus plenty of dysfunctional heart and most importantly humour, serving up not only hilariously frank character interactions with deadpan precision, but upping the comedy stakes with some riotous close encounters of the quaint kind.

The Bottom Line…

An immaculately dressed, quirky ensemble desert ode to dreamers and brainiacs and part tribute to the theatre, ‘Asteroid City’ charmingly carves out a slice of Americana and proves to be another delightfully droll triumph for a filmmaker who has carved out his own signature corner of Hollywood, and seems completely content to stay in it . . . and so are we.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

In fictional but historically grounded mid-20th century central Europe, a writer and former lobby boy recounts his time as an apprentice to a legendary concierge at a grand hotel, and the collection of colourful characters who came through its exquisite doors during the glory years.

Directed by Wes Anderson and starring Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori and Tilda Swinton among others.

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