Benecio Del Toro and WesAnderson united in

The Phoenician Scheme

by Kathia Woods

Wes Anderson doesn’t make movies that are easily digested by everyone. His themes are consider quirky along with his shooting style. In The Phoenician Scheme it finally comes all together. If The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic left you in a haze this film will speak to you. At it’s core it addresses family conflict, religion and the great American past time of greed. 

Anderson returns to a more recognizable form in The Phoenician Scheme, a straightforward caper that centers on a single individual and his pursuit of a goal. It is more comprehensible and recognizable, and it will be well-received by those who believe that the American filmmaker's work has deviated from its intended course in recent years.

In 1950, the film is set, and the protagonist is Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), an affluent businessman who has endured numerous assassination attempts. Zsa-Zsa resolves to entrust his daughter with his most recent endeavor in the event of his death, following the most recent incident, which involved a bomb on an aircraft.

According to Lies (Mia Treapleton), his daughter, who is also a novitiate nun, is not enthusiastic about her father's most recent endeavor. She has no regard for his business practices or lack of ethical standards. She perceives him as lacking in compassion.

After government spies (led by Rupert Friend) artificially inflated the price of a component in Zsa-Zsa's massive infrastructure project, the trio sets out on a multi-stop mission to the far reaches of the fictional European country Phoenicia, accompanied by Bjorn, a Norwegian tutor played by Michael Cera. Their goal is to extract more money from the investors.

To help tell this tale of unscrupulous business venture Anderson reach back to some old collaborators and debut some new ones. Amongst the new is Riz Ahmed. He plays a prince. 

Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston are making their return to Anderson films. Both were previously spotted in Asteroid City. The two are investors who also happen to be excellent basketball shooters. Mathieu Amalric (Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch), Jeffrey Wright (The French Dispatch, Asteroid City), and Richard Ayoade (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) appear in a scene that includes a boat, a nightclub, and a revolutionary organization. Scarlett Johansson (Asteroid City, Isle of Man) also joins the festivities.

In particular, the growing father-daughter bond between Zsa-Zsa and Liesl is anchored by the film's principal trio, which includes del Toro. In terms of structure, it's easy to see this as a sequel to The Grand Budapest Hotel's Gustave and Zero dynamic; yet, these two are much crisper.

Zsa-Zsa may believe that he has been realistic in incorporating Liesl into the family, but what he genuinely desires is her respect and love, and Liesl does not approve of her father. The consequences are distinct, as is his existential quandary, which is relatively understated.

There is much to admire in The Phoenician Scheme, including some truly charismatic performances, notably those of del Toro. The character's barely concealed gentleness is juxtaposed with the gravity of his mission and profession, as evidenced by his large body.

Zsa-Zsa is evocative of a Wes Anderson film. You may believe that you have a comprehensive understanding of the situation due to the meticulous and deliberate nature of the content. However, there is a significant amount of additional information that is concealed beneath the surface, such as a subtle critique of oligarchies and the ethics of wealth accumulation.

The Phoenician addresses more contemporary themes, which renders it more enjoyable and comprehensible. This one is enjoyable regardless of whether one is an Anderson enthusiast.

The film is playing in theaters worldwide