Space Net's All New Review: The French Dispatch

We live in the perpetual age of reboots, remakes, and franchises. It doesn’t matter where your stance lies on such a statement because it’s the truth. So many original ideas floating around, too little chances being taken. An auteur like Wes Anderson deserves to be given his flowers as he walks this Earth alive & well. It must always be appreciated when an established director isn’t afraid to evolve with their craft, continue to take risks, and tell the stories they wish to tell. ‘The French Dispatch’ is a pastiche of all the elements that have made Anderson’s film so beloved throughout the years. A visual style so fine tuned you can’t help but think he is inspired by anything other than his own past artistic endeavors. I myself was late to the Wes Anderson party, only having begun watching his films mid - 2021. My interest peaked after finding a copy of the screenplay ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ in my local library and my attention was held after watching the film. Very early on I realized Wes Anderson was nothing short of a painter. The space, his canvas. Film stock, his paintbrush. The colors he uses are ever so vibrant. Like much of Anderson’s work, every single frame could be a beautiful still photograph. That just sadly isn’t something one can say for a majority of the films being released these days.

The visual language of ‘The French Dispatch’ felt like a book brought to life which is fitting seeing as it is a film about writers and their stories. Different vignettes seamlessly woven together in a way that never once pulls you out of the world Anderson so meticulously builds from the very start. The amount of talent within the cast of players Anderson had to work with was seemingly limitless. Opening with Benecio Del Toro playing the role of artist “Moses Rosenthatl” opposite Léa Seydoux as his muse “Simone”, we see almost instantly in their performances how much respect these actors have for the words they've been tasked to speak. The chemistry between Del Toro & Seydoux is something quite special to behold considering their story isn’t one of romance. It is one of self-discovery & self-sacrifice. A theme that came up quite often during my viewing experience. The next vignette revolves around characters played by Timothee Chalamet (“Zeffirelli”), Frances McDormand (“Lucinda Krementz”), and Lyna Khoudri (“Juliet”). A story about the passion of youth just as much as it’s about the ignorance of youth. McDormand simply dominates every single scene she is in while Chalamet was nothing short of endearing. They really brought out the rhythm in Anderson’s writing. With dialogue that dense, pacing a scene could be quite difficult but I never once caught sight of that in this film. In the final vignette we’re walked through the exploits of “Roebuck Wright” - a black, gay writer, played by Jeffery Wright. A character inspired by none other than the legendary James Baldwin. Here we see Anderson treat this endeavor as if it could be his last. Initially I was blown away at the ease with which Anderson constantly alternates between color film and black/white film but when we’re suddenly thrust into the world of animation it hit me that I was watching something truly revolutionary. All these moving parts to a story and I was enamored the entire time. I loved every minute of it.

All in all, motion picture viewing is meant to be an experience. Film, if done with care, should make you feel something. Anything. ‘The French Dispatch’ has made me feel inspired. I sincerely hope it inspires other lovers of cinema. If not to create something of your own, at least to create an increase in demand for stand alone films. We don’t always need a sequel and I believe that we have enough creativity on this planet to abolish reboots. Fair warning: If you hate subtitles for whatever reason this might not be the film for you. Anderson constantly switches from French to English, something one might not appreciate if they halfway “watch” a movie as they scroll through social media. Personally I feel as though it kept me fully immersed. Couldn’t take my eyes off of the screen because I didn’t want to miss a thing. That is art. Honorable mention to frequent Wes Anderson collaborators, Bill Murrary (“Arthur Howitt”) and Adrien Brody (“Julien Cadazio”), very memorable performances. This is a contemporary classic. I rate this film 5 out of 5 stars.