Saturday, November 6, 2021

Immediate Response: The French Dispatch (2021)

 Considering what I usually cover, a Wes Anderson Film feels like a palette cleanser.  Is it good though?

The Good

* The Film is a visual delight, full of colors, fun transitions and the usual flair you expect.

* The Cast is full of notable names playing strange, quirky characters.  They each get a moment or two to shine.

* The Plot is pretty frivolous and fun.

* As usual, the mix of dead-pan and bizarre kind of works well.


The Bad

* The 'Anthology' Format (literal and figurative) makes the Film a bit disjointed.  You're seeing the Stories as 'Sections from the Paper.'  If you want one, big Plot, it's not here.

* Not all Stories are equal, with Owen Wilson's one having the least Plot.

* Anderson saves the extra visual flourishes for the last Segment, which seems disappointing a bit.


If you're a Wes Anderson fan, it's more of the same.  It is less structured Plot-wise, so don't expect an exact copy of stuff like Rushmore.

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