Eddington review: Joaquin Phoenix & Pedro Pascal face off in contemplative, complicated Western

Ari Aster is known for dealing in the surreal, whether it be a cursed family in Hereditary, a bonkers cultural rite in Midsommar, or however you want to describe Beau Is Afraid. In Eddington, Aster takes it to the surreal time of May 2020, when pandemic lockdowns and racial justice battles combined to create a hectic summer.

Set in the fictional town of Eddington, N.M., the movie follows county sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and his battle with the mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), over what is the right way to lead their town amidst the turbulent times of early pandemic, where any act can be made to look politically motivated and blown out of proportion.

The movie takes some of the classic Western ideas and turns them on their head for this modern story. For most of the movie, it works to create a gripping, off-kilter take on the western genre that has its fair share of things to say about the issues of today. Though it does become too big for its britches, especially in the third act, overall Aster’s ambitious filmmaking pays off enough for a successful endeavor.

The big idea at the center of Eddington that Aster appears to be getting across is that certain individuals will attempt to hijack positions and ideals for their own benefit, playing into the extremes on both sides. This is present in Joe as he embraces conspiracy theories as he runs for mayor against Ted, but also in the characters like Eric (Matt Gomez Hidaka) and Brian (Cameron Mann), who get involved in protests as they pursue a girl, then later switch ideals when the other side better suits them.

While this idea remains throughout the movie, the thread starts to get lost when the focus of the plot turns to something else beyond the political battle between Joe and Ted, instead opting for a bigger, more action-packed third act. Bigger is not always better, especially in this case. All that contributes to a run-time that nears the two-and-a-half-hour mark, which is hard for the movie to sustain.

Where Eddington is at its best is the standoffs between Phoenix and Pascal’s characters. Though rather than having a shootout at dawn, phones are often the weapon of choice in Eddington (guns do get drawn eventually, though). Aster is clear that what we share and read on our devices can be damaging and dangerous in their own unique way.

Considering their star power, it may seem odd that I haven’t mentioned either Emma Stone or Austin Butler yet, but that’s because their impact on the story is minimal. While some backstory surrounding Stone’s character Louise is a motivating factor between the rivalry between Joe and Ted, we don’t get enough of her interacting with everyone else to feel her true weight on the story. Then Butler is basically here for a cameo in one of the stranger scenes in the movie. I won’t judge either of their performances because there isn’t really enough to go on as they’re here for a minute and then basically non factors.

Aster is not interested in a John Wayne-type hero riding into town and saving Eddington. Instead he chooses to investigate the fallacies and dangers of both extremes and how they can be manipulated. It mostly works and is done in a smart and even at times humorous way. Where the movie struggles is not knowing when to rein itself in. I wouldn’t put Eddington ahead of Midsommar of Hereditary in the lineup of Aster’s work, but it’s another big swing from the director that is worth a watch.

Eddington is now playing in US movie theaters; releases in the UK on August 22.