In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.
Chuck says:
The first film to take a deep dive into how the Covid-19 crisis affected the United State, Ari Aster’s “Eddington” is an uncompromising, examination of the divisions that tore communities apart and its continuing repercussions. Though a piece of fiction, Aster and his cast capture the sense of angst that enveloped the nation, every citizen in the titular town confident they will be on the right side of history where their stance towards mask mandates, government aid (overreach?) and civil rights are concerned. Unfortunately, the isolation, both compulsory and self-imposed, has prompted them to seek refuge on social media, where like-minded individuals and validation are easy to find.
At the center of this vast narrative is the escalating animus that exists between Sherriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). Their differing political views quickly come to the fore in May of 2020 due to a confrontation over whether masks should be worn in a grocery store and spin out of control. That Garcia once dated the lawman’s troubled wife, Louise (Emma Stone), their breakup having happened under suspicious circumstances, contributes to Cross’ eagerness to confront him. Before you know it, he’s declared himself as a candidate for mayor in the upcoming election.
One of the biggest sticking points among the town’s citizens is Garcia’s desire to build a massive data center, a project he claims much needed jobs to the area. Though he has a corporation on the hook, not everyone is onboard, many fearing the financial risk will not pay off. This becomes the focal point of the race…that is, until the George Floyd murder occurs and activists take to the streets, demanding justice for racist acts occurring today as well as those hundreds of years ago.
The way Cross handles the passionate teens behind the Black Lives Matter protests that flood the streets of Eddington couldn’t be worse. As a result, his aggressive actions towards them begin bouncing around social media and his candidacy is threatened. To salvage it, he makes a false claim regarding Garcia and Louise’s relationship, an act that leads to tragic consequences.
The moving parts Aster employs in telling his story are too numerous to mention, which is intentional. The internet has bombarded us with so much information it’s hard to keep track of it all, let alone parse what’s true or not. Before all is said and done, racial tension erupts between Cross’ deputies, Guy (Luke Grimes) and Mikey (Michael Ward), the mayor’s son Eric (Matt Gomez Hidaka) is swayed by local activist Sarah (Amelie Hoeferle) to act against his father, something that rubs his buddy Brian (Cameron Mann) the wrong way, while Louise finds solace in the charismatic cult leader Vernon Jefferson Peak (Austin Butler).
False accusations and murders occur before the final credits roll, yet Aster keeps the ideological divide at the core of it all in his crosshairs. Once Antifa makes an appearance, as if the town’s collective paranoia conjured it out of thin air, all bets are off. The script is not only dense with ideas but twists as well. While you might suspect where all this is headed, you’re likely to be mistaken. That none of the fantastic events that occur seem improbable reflects how unhinged our society has become.
It’s to Aster’s credit that he’s able to employ an even hand in portraying those on each side of this cultural divide. Condescension is absent, while sympathy is felt for each character at one point or another. Each member of the cast brings a sense of humanity to their characters, rendering them recognizable, though their actions may be reprehensible. Aster’s intent is to drive home the notion that we’ve all been used as pawns, subjected to forces beyond our control, our responses to them based on fear and self-preservation. We and Eddington’s citizens are seen as victims, out of our depth in a sea of (mis)information, reduced to acting in a primal manner in order to survive.
“Eddington” is incredibly dense and requires multiple viewings to take in all that Aster has to say. Without question, it is one of the most ambitious films of the year, and likely to be the most divisive. Of course, that’s to be expected as, thanks to the many screens we’ve attached ourselves to, we all see things from our own perspective, one that is always right according to us, yet suspect to others. We have met the enemy, and with “Eddington,” Aster effectively drives home the point, that it is us.
3 1/2 Stars
