Wes Anderson has been crafting quirky and distinctive films for over three decades now, and if you’re a fan, you’ll know what to expect. His strangely alluring characters are always set in a world that is both whimsical and nostalgic.
With acclaimed hits like The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), I was genuinely excited for The Phoenician Scheme. And while the film is certainly entertaining and visually rich, I found it lacking the warmth and depth of his other films.
The cast, as always, is exceptional. Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton lead an impressive ensemble featuring regulars like Bill Murray and Luke Wilson, alongside Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Willem Dafoe. But it’s Michael Cera who steals the show with his perfectly awkward comedic timing in the role of Tutor, Bjorn Lund.
So down to business, what is this film about? Set in the 1950s, The Phoenician Scheme centres on Zsa-Zsa Korda (del Toro), a ruthless business tycoon whose shady dealings have made him prone to ongoing assassination attempts. Zsa-Zsa, in fear he will actually be murdered, decides it’s time to train a successor – his estranged daughter Liesl (Threapleton). She’s about to take her final vows to become a nun, so that’s a problem that needs to be dealt with.
Adding to the chaos is Zsa-Zsa’s latest ambition, a sweeping infrastructure project aimed at propelling Phoenicia into the modern world. Naturally, things spiral Anderson-style, with eccentric twists, deadpan humour, and an undercurrent of family dysfunction.
Anderson’s classic themes of grief, redemption, and family dysfunction are explored, and while the film ticks his stylistic boxes, it doesn’t quite capture the emotional resonance of his previous works. Still, The Phoenician Scheme is a charming journey through his unmistakable cinematic universe.
The Phoenician Scheme is now screening at Luna Palace Cinemas.