Asteroid City

A movie review by Alex First

Creative and confounding, I wouldn’t have expected anything less from the eclectic mind of master filmmaker Wes Anderson.

Set in September 1955, a TV host introduces an imaginary drama called Asteroid City.

At first, the focus is on noted playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton), but that hardly makes for engaging entertainment.

So, very soon we are being introduced to the first read-through of Earp’s latest work.

A junior astronomy convention is being held in a fictional desert town.

Into that setting comes Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) with his four children.

They include his “brainiac” son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) and Woodrow’s three, strong-willed, younger sisters.

When the family car breaks down, Augie calls his father-in-law Stanley Zak (Tom Hanks) for help.

He doesn’t much care for Augie and can’t believe his son-in-law hasn’t told the children that his wife (their mother) has passed away.

Augie has with him (in a less-than-appropriate vessel) his wife’s ashes.

As events unfold, Augie meets and falls for a famous but cynical actress, Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson).

But the real kicker comes when an alien arrives at the convention and departs with “a sample”, resulting in everyone being quarantined.

Asteroid City is heaps of fun.

Just sit back and savour Wes Anderson forging his quirky form of magic on screen. It is a film resplendent with actors who are clearly having a ball.

Anderson’s dry humour (the story is by him and Roman Coppola) is all over this production, which at times is difficult to follow.

Nevertheless, it remains captivating.

You dare not look away, for fear you will miss another pearler.

Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson are standouts. Their scenes together, across neighbouring windows, light up the screen.

I also kept a lookout for Margot Robbie and when her turn came, as Augie’s dear departed, she didn’t disappoint.

Bryan Cranston does an earnest job as the TV host during the black-and-white era.

So, too, Edward Norton as the Asteroid City playwright.

Interesting to see Tom Hanks in a contrary, judgmental space as Augie’s disapproving father-in-law.

Notwithstanding all the hijinks, Asteroid City still has some important observations to make about the atomic bomb.

Unsurprisingly, those thoughts are delivered in an entirely different style from Oppenheimer.

Asteroid City’s production design and set decoration are delightful throwbacks to a bygone era. I couldn’t get enough of their playful nature.

In summary then, I emerged from the film puzzled but pleased.

Rated M, Asteroid City scores a 7½ out of 10.  Runtime 105mins.