The Phoenician Scheme

Zsa-zsa (Benicio Del Toro), Bjorn (Michael Cera) and Liesl (Mia Threapleton) embark on a dangerous business deal in The Phoenician Scheme (Distributed by Focus Features)

Wes Anderson. If you’re a fan, you’ll be waiting eagerly for his next quirky, mannered, intricately produced movie. If you’re not, nothing in the world could compel you to sit through anything he does. I belong firmly in the former category. 1998’s Rushmore was a big influence on my cinematic taste. Ever since then, I look forward to whatever he puts out. With the exception of The French Dispatch, which I found to be twee even for him, I’ve enjoyed all of his work.

His latest, The Phoenician Scheme, is on the lower end of the spectrum of his filmography, yet still contains its share of goofily charming delights. It is probably the closest we’ll get to a Wes Anderson action movie, poking fun at that concept to get some laughs. It is almost a riff on his own The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, though less self-satisfied and not nearly as emotionally affecting. It is entertaining, amusing, a little cold and has an overly complicated plot. I don’t know if this is one I’d revisit very often, but it is a decent time while it lasts.

Zsa-zsa Korda is a successful businessman with many enemies. After surviving another in a long line of attempts on his life, he reaches out to his estranged daughter, Liesl, a nun, naming her his heir. She then accompanies him as he undertakes a complex plot, while being hunted by assassins, terrorists and the US government.

Anderson has two major strengths that show up in everything he is responsible for. The first is his production design. He displays such minute attention to detail, spending energy even on things that only appear onscreen for seconds in the background. It is all important to him. The sets in The Phoenician Scheme (95 minutes, not including the end credits) aren’t as eye-catching as normal for him, mainly due to the globe-trotting nature of the story.

His focus is adjusted a bit to blocking and staging. Though the sets are fairly simple, he makes up for it with the way he frames his shots. It has always been a highlight of his movies (the framing in Asteroid City is a definite standout). Here, since the pacing is (comparatively) fast, he doesn’t have as much time as he usually does to establish a scene. Putting his actors in specific positions on the set and in the frame gives him an easy shorthand that allows the audience to settle in quickly. It provides space for clever camera cuts resulting in good gags.

His other strength is his dialogue. It can certainly be an acquired taste.  However, once you get on his wavelength, there is a rhythm and consistency to it that is funny and honest. Here, it is just as quirky and odd as ever. As always, the line readings are strangely stilted, with the delivery sounding slightly off. This movie has a lot going on, but it really doesn’t matter if you can easily follow it. This is a comedy where people say and do silly things for reasons they seem to find extremely urgent. It may not be substantive, yet Anderson’s style is definitely in full effect here.

He brings in the expected stacked cast. Benicio Del Toro seems a tad out of his element as Zsa-zsa, though that kind of adds to the charm of a man who goes through life on his own terms. He’s a wealthy, shady, businessman who keeps avoiding death. He is also reckless and, maybe, longing for connection. That personal piece does not come through here.

Liesl is played by relative newcomer Mia Threapleton, who has that detached melancholy that works so well in this universe. Then there is Michael Cera, very funny as a Norwegian tutor, and small roles for Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeffrey Wright and many more familiar faces. Anderson never uses his actors for cheap “Hey, look who it is!” cameos. He always gives them something to do. Not all of these are memorable, but they are at least allowed to have some fun in their screentime.

While The Phoenician Scheme may be minor Wes Anderson and doesn’t rise above to become worthwhile viewing for the non-initiated (unlike, say, The Royal Tenenbaums or The Grand Budapest Hotel), it still has value. The pacing, character interactions, amusingly edited action scenes (that tend to cut away before anything big happens); it is a fun watch. Assuming you’re a fan of the filmmaker. This won’t convert anyone, but it’s reasonably good if you’re already on its wavelength.

3¼ out of 5

Cast:

Benicio Del Toro as Zsa-zsa Korda

Mia Threapleton as Liesl

Michael Cera as Bjorn

Benedict Cumberbatch as Uncle Nubar

Mathieu Amalric as Marseille Bob

Jeffrey Wright as Marty

Tom Hanks as Leland

Bryan Cranston as Reagan

Scarlet Johansson as Cousin Hilda

Riz Ahmed as Prince Farouk

Written/Directed by Wes Anderson