Eddington (2 ½ stars out of 4)
2020 was a crazy year that brought out the worst in a lot of people, and showcased some troubling issues we’re still grappling with today. To many, this idea is self-evident, and for that audience, Ari Aster’s “Eddington” won’t offer any insights you didn’t already understand.
Set in the spring of 2020, “Eddington” tries to capture the chaos of the COVID-19 Pandemic within the scope of a small New Mexico town. Aster follows a kaleidoscope of characters and parties, which makes the film feel more like a portrait than a traditional narrative, but its plot mostly focuses on town sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix). Joe has a strained relationship with his wife Louise (Emma Stone), which is exacerbated by the presence of his live-in conspiracy theorist mother-in-law Dawn (Deirdre O’Connell). His relationship with Eddington mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) is even more strained, partially because he supports masking policies that Joe sees creating contention among residents, but also because Ted has a past with Louise.
As one thing leads to another, Joe decides to run against Ted to de-seat him. This all happens as COVID policies and Black Lives Matter protests stir up increasing tensions in town. We meet local tribal officers, whose jurisdiction presents an uneasy neighbor to Eddington, and a group of young adults trying to reconcile their passions for social activism with their more down-to-earth romantic relationships. And when Dawn introduces Louise to a very online 21st century Charles Manson-wannabe (Austin Butler), those escalating tensions start to finally boil over.
“Eddington” tries to cover a little of everything: small town politics, right-wing conspiracists, Gen Z social justice warriors, corporate corruption, even privately funded leftist terrorism. And to Aster’s credit, he points the finger at all these parties with equal condemnation. The whole lot is a mess by intention, mixing social issues with personal biases and ulterior motives, reflecting the confusion of the time as various parties default to more and more hysteric reactions. As a critical portrait of contemporary American culture, it has merit, even if it overlooks the more grounded part of the population who didn’t run headlong down the various paths of extremism. But once atmosphere gives way to action, “Eddington’s” story becomes more and more preposterous, leaving audiences with no option but to see Aster’s film as more of a symbol than a believable narrative.
The trouble is that while it’s busy pointing fingers at everyone involved, it isn’t really saying anything that shouldn’t be readily obvious. It’s hard to think anyone will come out of “Eddington” knowing or understanding anything they didn’t already know or understand going in. It may be a bit of a surprise for Aster fans, given that the director has been primarily known for more traditional horror films like “Hereditary” and “Midsommar.”
On a more technical level, “Eddington” builds a strong atmosphere and some passages of dramatic tension, and its performances are pretty strong overall. But all its good parts add up to a film that may have arrived too soon. Not because it’s insensitive or inappropriate, but more because its subject feels like an open, unresolved wound that needs more time to put in perspective. And without that perspective, the film is unable to move past the self-evident to achieve the poignancy and meaning it seeks.
The explicit references to real-life issues both help and hinder the movie’s impact. On the one hand, they drive home the reality of the situation, and make it relatable. But because it is relatable, it will also be difficult for anyone with highly polarized political perspectives to view the film beyond their own biases. In that sense, “Eddington” feels designed for a centrist audience that finds fault on all sides. Unless Aster is more interested in trolling the true believers, which just feels like a lot of effort for a minimal return.
“Eddington” is rated R for scattered profanity, some graphic violence, and a brief scene of non-sexual graphic nudity.