The Phoenician Scheme

The Phoenician Scheme is very agreeable and charming.

Is there a future where I revisit Phoenician and find it significantly funnier and more profound (as was the case with Grand Budapest)? Yes, but unlike Korda’s redemption arc, mine isn’t imminent.

If Asteroid City was Wes Anderson’s defense of his own methods... The Phoenician Scheme is his exploration of everything those methods aren’t sufficient to encompass.

What peps up "The Phoenician Scheme" are some of its performances, specifically del Toro's.

But even at their worst, I used to think Anderson’s films were visually interesting. It’s the trait for which he’s most known and celebrated. But as of late, his films have become rife with eye-scorching ugliness.

It's not terrible, but it's an elegantly filmed stumble.

The style of The Phoenician Scheme doesn’t match the substance. But that substance is still compelling. Underneath the wheeling and dealing is a more powerful story: The agnostic businessman’s relationship with his Catholic daughter.

If The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic left you in a haze this film will speak to you. At it’s core it addresses family conflict, religion and the great American past time of greed.

I’m glad Wes Anderson has the clout to do whatever he wants to do, and he can still charm us. But does he have anyone around him honest and courageous enough to tell him when his films are becoming self-parodies, labored and, frankly, boring?

Anderson isn’t repeating himself—he’s refining his style with age, evolving while staying unmistakably himself... remain with his signature yet have a different look and texture, one that comes with experience and age.