PREMISE
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.
THE GOOD STUFF
PHOENIX– When it comes right down to it, these are three different performances from Joaquin Phoenix within every single act of this film. In the first act, he’s almost one of the dorky Coen Brothers type comedy characters that we see now and then, in the second act, he’s very creepy and almost emotionally cold, and in the third act, he is vulnerable and terrified of the world around him. This man goes through a complete emotional gauntlet within this character, and… of course, he does.
This has always been the wheelhouse of Joaquin Phoenix. He has always been that great. And that’s important to say because after the last major motion picture he did (which we dare not say the name of out loud anymore for the rest of time), people seem to dismiss this aspect of him as a performer, and it’s gotten really weird out there.
THE SECOND HALF– It’s not a spoiler in any way to say that at some point in this movie, the character played by Joaquin Phoenix gets slapped in the face. The why to this action is not important. What is important is that as soon as this happens, the movie quickly becomes one of the best films of the summer.
The second half of this movie is wildly entertaining, unpredictable, and thrilling. I’m not saying the movie could have started with this kind of energy, but I think there could have been a way to build up to it properly without it suddenly appearing in your face. Had the build-up to where this movie goes been appropriately telegraphed, this would easily be one of the five best films of the year. However….
THE BAD STUFF
THE FIRST HALF– Except maybe four total scenes that do not exceed two or three minutes in length, every minute of this film up until Joaquin Phoenix getting slapped can be THROWN IN THE F****** TRASH.
The first half of this story is uneventful, somewhat repetitive, and boring, as it attempts to impose multiple socio-political views on its audience while taking a bold stand on absolutely nothing. Whether it be the divisive opinions on COVID protocols in a small town, or the BLM protests after George Floyd’s murder, or the long-lasting effects of sexual abuse, this film pinballs between these topics from scene to scene. And it’s jarring, honestly.
THE UGLY STUFF
WASTED EFFORTS– And the worst part about the first half of the film is the useless performances of Austin Butler and Emma Stone. Mind you, these are not bad performances in any way, shape, or form, but what the f*** are they doing in this story, considering what the second half of this movie turns into?
This 2-hour and 25-minute film could have been condensed into a 1-hour and 45-minute version if not for the subplot involving a cult leader’s invasion of a failing marriage. Emma Stone is one of the more dynamic actresses in the game right now, and she’s not given s*** to do but play one note and play it repeatedly. Austin Butler is here trying to add more depth to material that cages him in, in a very noticeable way. Again, it’s worth mentioning that these are not bad performances, just incredibly useless ones.
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At this point in my life, I struggle to distinguish between films that have been heavily rewritten due to numerous studio notes and those where a director was given complete creative freedom to express their vision. I would think either one of these things could have been in play when it came to eddington. But the harder I think about it, maybe both of these things were in play.
The tonal shifts are appreciated, but extreme. And one can only ask what the original vision of this was, because I highly doubt it is this.
EDDINGTON is in theaters now
