The Phoenician Scheme

When am I going to be sick of Wes Anderson? Not today my friend.

This one has a pretty typical scenario we’ve seen in a lot of his work - a terrible but charming tycoon (Benicio del Toro) tries to make amends with his daughter (Mia Threapleton) by making her the sole heiress to his estate. When something goes wrong with one of his businesses, they embark on a tour of Phoenicia with the goal of raising cash from investors to bridge the gap. All the while he is dodging various assassination attempts.

It’s an ambitious film that ties together religion, family and business in an intricate narrative. Tonally it borrows a lot from old caper comedies and the charming rascals of the 1940s. It all works great and it’s a lot of fun to see it through the Wes Anderson filter.

However there’s such a lot going on that, on first viewing at least, there’s little room to really connect with it on an emotional level. I can’t fault the performances - Mia Threapleton in particular shines - but the script gets so wrapped up in itself it almost leaves no room for human connection.

It’s a hell of a ride though, and as ever we’re spoilt by the set design and creativity on display. Perhaps I’m a simple man but I don’t tire of the Anderson style, especially since he seems to find a new niche for each film. This sort of old-Hollywood pastiche of the Middle East provides a wonderful setting.

This was a bit like a bath - warm when you get in, a bit luke when you get out, probably worth your while overall.