“The French Dispatch” Stuns, But Suffers at the Hands of Its Own Format

Wes Anderson’s latest film is the director at his most visually inventive but least emotionally involved

A painter cut off from the world after incarceration and the man who will go to any lengths to purchase his work. A group of radical students, determined to undo the damage done by an oppressive government. A police commissioner who is desperate to rescue his precocious son after an eclectic group of kidnappers snatch him one night. Three writers, each sent out to document one of these three stories. The subsequent articles constitute The French Dispatch, a magazine that shares the name of Wes Anderson’s new anthology film.

As in nearly every one of his movies, each frame is a beautiful display of Anderson’s unique visual style, containing planographic compositions, symmetry, and a pushback against naturalism. The film is mostly in black and white, so each shot in color is especially vibrant and captivating. The dialogue is entirely on-brand; witty, deadpan, and humorous. The film is quintessential Wes Anderson, and is a celebration of his meticulously crafted mise-en-scene.

However, despite how stylistically captivating it is, this movie lacks the heart that much of his other work has, partially due to the anthology format. Anthologies present obstacles in building emotion, as it allows a considerably shorter time for stories to develop. In addition, when several plots are presented back to back, the viewer is not given time to reflect on what they just watched before they are plunged into another story that they must familiarize themselves with. The film unfortunately peters out as it unfolds and feels a bit tired by the end of the final story.

However, Anderson does surprisingly well with the format, and makes good use of the framing device without the movie ever feeling disjointed. Despite its flaws, this is a wonderful viewing experience and a beautiful celebration of both journalism and filmmaking, as well as writers across artistic mediums.

OVERALL SCORE: 8/10

The French Dispatch was released on October 22, 2021 and is currently in US theatres.