My Immediate Thoughts on The Phoenician Scheme

I didn’t enjoy this movie as much as The French Dispatch. I did however like it in a way that feels as though my enjoyment of the film with grow into fondness and one day I’ll be watching it on TV or at a bar and I will realize I quite love this movie.

Everyone was right to be excited for the Michael Cera / Wes Anderson team up. Such a perfect use of Cera’s weird little guy vibes. ** He worked with Lynch before this, can we get him to other auteurs? I wanna watch Cera in a Cronenberg or giving a droning monologue in a Cosmatos.

As expected, the entire cast is delightful and charming.

It occurred to me that I’m always taken by Wes Anderson casts because it gives me what I crave: that thing they did in the 90s where it was a parade of cameos by character actors. I’m not sure that the WA style allows for deep performances but I think nailing the style requires technical skill. It’s also nice to see a group work towards a big picture goal. I mean the cameos of some of these actors are true cameos with limited to no dialogue. But everyone gives their all. No small parts and all that.

Wasn’t expecting to see so much blood in an Anderson film.

Riz Ahmed is a goddamn heartthrob in this. Like pin his photo to your locker door and kiss it for luck. So dreamy.

It’s nice to see a father/daughter story that doesn’t give me feelings about not talking to my dad

Nun who smokes a pipe? Nun who carries a dagger? Love it. Cannot stand the idea of wearing a button down, a collar, or a high neckline but I deeply considered it for about 40 seconds

**SPOILERS**

**His reveal makes me think this role was originally for Timothy Ski Chalet and while he also would have been great I’m glad it was Cera.

*** Also we can’t have Chalamet and Cumberbatch in the same movie the name jokes would be too much