I have enjoyed a lot of Wes Anderson’s output but always felt that his quirkiness teetered on the verge of annoying and I found his last film, The French Dispatch, to be insufferable. Therefore, I approached Asteroid City with some trepidation, despite the usual star-studded cast that includes Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, and Jeff Goldblum.
It is set in the mid-1950s in a US desert town called Asteroid City, named so because 3,000 years ago this was the site of a meteorite landing, and it is now the location for a US government observatory. It is also the site of an annual teen science convention, and the kids and their parents assemble for the proceedings, an event happens that leaves everyone barred from leaving or entering the town.
However, things are not as straightforward as that. It is framed within another story about the writer of the play Asteroid City and the actors who are playing the parts. Additionally, that is framed within a TV documentary about the making of the play. None of that extra fluff though, adds anything to the film. I am sure that Anderson loves how clever he thinks he is being, but every time we cut back to either of those two story elements, the film gets pretty tedious.
Back in the main plot, there are some amusing moments and it is beautifully shot in a saturated palette by Robert D. Yeoman. However, as most of the cast are directed to speak in the same fast but deadpan monotone, there is little chance for them to shine. Those that are allowed to do something a little different fare best; Steve Carell who gets the best lines as the town’s motel manager, Tilda Swinton as a scientist, and Liev Schrieber as the sardonic parent of one if the teens
Not as annoying as The French Dispatch, but still over indulgent.
Rating: 5.5 out of 10