I want to confess about my writing film reviews that it is always difficult for me to review the films directed by Wes Anderson. It is like a challenge to describe or judge his filmmaking artistry, his scrupulous application on the contemporary aesthetics, and to praise his narrative and visual understanding over the subject on repeat.
His latest work is The French Dispatch; Wes has called his project ‘A love letter to journalists’. And he rightly said so.
The film is about the editorial staff of the newspaper The French Dispatch that wants to republish three articles from the past in what will be the final issue of the newspaper after the death of their editor. So the film majorly picturizes those three articles with an obituary.
As usual, The French Dispatch is another Wes Anderson masterpiece that is thoughtful, artistic, and kaladeiscopic. It is a dark comedy but at the same time, the characterization of human elements like greed, nudity, poverty, power, rage are so well detailed in such an eye-catching camera work.
There is so much depth in artistic detailing. It is so gratifying when you watch a morning sketch of Ennui. Or the introduction of Café Le Sans Blague and the young boys and girls staring at the camera or dancing weirdly gives you a sharp reminder of some stylish retro films of the French Wave. One of the stories about a mentally disturbed artist, Moses Rosenthaler, was like an autobiography of suicide. The reeling towards each of his traveling segments was so well-directed.
The French Dispatch is the voice of liberation that successfully empowers the ethics of humor in the melancholic wisdom of thoughtful articles in the colorful odor of neoclassical realism. A fabulous stellar cast including Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Benicio Del Toro, Timothée Chalamet, Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright, Adrien Brody, Léa Seydoux, and many more makes this anthology drama more special.
This film is an honorary work in tribute to old-school journalism. Those who love poetry, those who are nonconformist, rebel, advocates of liberalization, and commentators of artistic presentation needs to watch this film. In short, this film is ‘A Work of Art’.
Ratings: 8.8/10
Sami Naik | Film Critic 