The Phoenician Scheme is the wonderful new movie from Wes Anderson, one of the most consistent filmmakers working today. It stars Benicio Del Toro, and your immediate reaction to this fact will determine your decision as to whether you will like this film.
Del Toro plays an international industrialist/criminal named Zsa-zsa Korda, who is constantly hounded by assassins. His enemies have caused his planes to crash multiple times, and after the latest disaster, he decides to make his only daughter his heir.
Her name is Liesl (played by Mia Threapleton), and she has hopes of becoming a nun. I was surprised at how much chemistry Del Toro and Threapleton have. They’re both dry and stoic, a staple of many leading characters in Anderson’s films, and their banter never gets old. Liesl has obvious reservations about agreeing to be Zsa-zsa’s heir, given his criminal activity, but she agrees in order to learn more about her mother’s death.
The crux of the plot is that Zsa-zsa has big plans to revamp Phoenicia, but he needs to convince a series of investors to back his cause. Each investor presents a different setup, but the constant thread is that Korda is trying to get them to invest more than they agreed, and they accuse him of “fiddling” with the deal. It might not sound like a laugh riot on paper, but the performances and visual gags give it life.
Zsa-zsa and Liesl are accompanied by Bjorn, played by Michael Cera, who is a tutor specializing in insects. It should be no surprise that Cera is a great fit here. His signature of playing awkward, subdued characters is perfect for a script like this.
Anderson does a good job of balancing the plot and humor in the first half, but the balance becomes skewed in the latter. There’s an increased focus on Korda sealing the deal for his Phoenicia plan, while Liesl gets closer to the truth about her mother. It’s around this point where the realization that the plotline isn’t as good as the comedy sets in. There's an interesting story here about a man realizing that his immortal legacy isn’t as important as his own redemption, but it’s not as compelling as the film’s lighthearted side.
I also said this about Asteroid City, but if you aren’t already a fan of how Wes Anderson makes movies, I doubt The Phoenician Scheme will sway your opinion. There’s no mistaking his style with anyone else, for better or worse. At the same time, Anderson fans can always rely on his steady output, and the good news for them is that this one delivers.
Author Bio:
Ulises Duenas is a senior writer and film critic at Highbrow Magazine.
For Highbrow Magazine