THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

Wes Anderson is often celebrated—and sometimes criticized—for a visual style so distinctive it can threaten to overshadow the story it’s telling. His films are immediately recognizable: the symmetrical compositions, the pastel color palettes, and the costumes that feel curated down to the final stitch. But “The Phoenician Scheme,” while still unmistakably Andersonian, dives more into character development and dialogue than design, and it’s honestly a nice shift.

At the film’s heart is an estranged relationship between a father and daughter. Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), a shadowy businessman recovering from a failed assassination attempt, reconnects with his daughter Liesel (Mia Threapleton), a novitiate nun. Intent on making Liesel the heir to his fortune, Zsa-Zsa travels with her as he renegotiates deals in his scheme to overhaul Phoenicia’s infrastructure.

Anderson delivers his patented ensemble cast, filled with names like Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Jeffrey Wright, Richard Ayoade, and Benedict Cumberbatch. But surprisingly, it’s Michael Cera, with a silly accent and tiny glasses, who emerges as a quiet highlight. He plays an attaché of sorts to the father-daughter duo, often acting as the comic relief.

Benicio del Toro fits comfortably into Anderson’s offbeat world—his performance is sly and just enigmatic enough to keep us guessing. But it’s Mia Threapleton who gives the film its star-turning performance. With the perfect deadpan delivery, she doesn’t just keep up—she commands the frame. Whether her talents extend outside of Wes Anderson’s pastel prism remains to be seen, but here, she’s a revelation. Anderson may very well have found a new muse.

“The Phoenician Scheme” isn’t Anderson at his peak, but it is Anderson trying something a little different. It doesn’t quite find the perfect balance between whimsy and resonance, but when it clicks, it does so enjoyably.

VIEWED ON
Saturday, May 31, 2025
AMC Burbank 16