Forgoing the surrealism that largely laced his previous films (Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid), Ari Aster‘s Eddington is, arguably, his most straightforward film to date. It’s also likely to be his most divisive.
Set in the heat of the pandemic – May 2020, to be exact – the film’s lead focal character, Sherriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix), leans into its western genre mentality, presenting him as an anti-hero of sorts as he opts to take on a more protective stance for his small New Mexico town, running for Mayor against the current official, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), following a tense altercation over the necessity of face masks in public venues.
The conversation between Cross and Garcia feels all too familiar in this post-COVID landscape, and it’s their opposing views that sets the film in motion, mutating from a local election into a series of actions that are far more brutal and chaotic than I suspect many will be prepared for. Not that Aster has never reveled in chaos, but given how relatively routine the narrative is, the escalation regarding its farcical nature, social commentary and genre shift could take some unaware; in short, if you haven’t experienced an Ari Aster production, this may not be the best title to adopt as an introduction.
At 148 minutes, Eddington is not for the uninitiated. It demands attention and intelligence, with many of its characters and story beats feeling metaphorical and symbolic in their creation. There’s nothing remotely subtle about the subsects of plot that lace the screen minutes – the Black Lives Matter movement, for one, is a major theme that earns traction in the film’s latter half – and characters like Joe’s disinterested wife (Emma Stone) and the charming cult leader (Austin Butler) who lures her away feel more impactful in suggestion rather than physical, but once it moves beyond merely being a battle for Mayoral power, Eddington’s temperament becomes far more intriguing. It keeps its farcical nature, but it moves into an almost horror-like setting, taking Joe’s determination to violent, upsetting extremes.
Much like his previous works, Eddington presents a series of large swings from Aster, and whether or not they connect, they have to be admired for their boldness in a time when cinematic originality isn’t nearly as prevalent as it would seem audiences would like. Sure, it’s a messy film, but it’s delightfully provocative and clearly takes pride in how it muddies up a sanistised landscape. It’s a film that enjoys its emotional and social decaying.
As shocking as it is funny, and testing as it is intriguing, Eddington takes a sense of joy in how much it could potentially hurt the viewer. It’s a true conversation starter – whether you want to have them or not – and continues Aster’s trajectory as a filmmaker who defies convention and expectation.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Eddington is screening in Australian theatres from August 21st, 2025.
