A true author's vivid fantasy picture. The French Dispatch presents a vision a writer would truly love. Precise and descriptive. Comedic and romantic. Dramatic and artistic. Succeeding with picture perfect cinematography. Let's unravel the beautiful film, 'The French Dispatch'.
Starting with how the writers Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, and Hugo Guinness put together a playwrite so particular, a doctor who'd been at study for 13 years would call it "delicate". I would say up front, whilst watching this film, a cellphone in hand would cause you to loose track of the image this movie presents. You would need to sit attentively, glaring through the words of each character as they paint wide brushed, yet fine, highly toted canvases. Just like you would at an art museum. Art museums aren't as visited as they used to be, but the containments are still of above quality value. Even more so now than before. I'm certain that even with all the caring you give to this piece of work, you'd still have to sit and attempt to interpret it on another try to catch the harmony of the words with the cinema.
The Screenplay is written with 3 separate stories clustered by the concept of a Newspaper printing and searching for interesting stories to print. 'The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun'. The star, Arthur Howitzer, Jr. (Bill Murray) is as passionate as an overprotective mother with his delicate findings for his dispatch. Headstrong and deliberate. The opening act is one of the few times the writing struggled to find its direction. Being too blatant out of the gate, leaving the plot in mid flight like a bean ball flies through mid-air. There would be no way to catch it without experience. One of the parts of the film you would only be able to interpret on a second viewing. There were only two other scenes that had slithers where the concept may have been over-played and redundant. Which is sparingly generous for this genre genotype.
Though the plot may have struggled in the opening to display it's intentions, Herbsaint Sazerac (Owen Wilson) helped us understand the direction of the film with gorgeous acting shrouded by cinematic genius. The shots were unique here, yet Wilson did not appear to be fazed in any way having years of experience. The calming piece in a frantic introduction. But Herbsaint wasn't the only stand out. Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright) was mesmerizing with his palleting. Zeffirelli (Timothee Chalamet) was brash and romantic; folding the genre of the film into a romantic comedy, and less of a parody film in the center. Julian Cadazio (Adrien Brody), a well put together particular man lead the way. There were many acting standouts in this film. Too many to pinpoint them all. We could, but it would be strenuous as the picture has already been painted. A veteran cast unbothered by any off-tittered shots or visions from the director.
Wes Anderson found gold in the "rarely utilized shots". Accompanied by well balanced color from the film crew, using symbolism in a flavorful spectrum. Symbolism molded the majority of the plot with intelligent and non-biased direction. Perfection at its finest. This is how art should come together. Not a spec of imperfection.
So the film was well-balanced in all components. But this could not have been done if the concept wasn't timed perfectly with the crew and executed with precision. Seeing another film as deliberately in-cue as this one will be difficult to replicate, yet it will be certainly attempted. This film will age well with time. Passionate, and well-kept ideas lead by a beautiful concept, plot and screenwrite. A true work of art.
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