The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun Parent Guide

The French Dispatch, once a supplement to the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun, but now a magazine in its own right, has shut down forever following the death of its editor, Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray). The last edition of the paper, which will carry his obituary and the notice for the closing of the magazine’s offices, will also print the last stories written by his eclectic stable of journalists. Among them are J.K.L. Berenson (Tilda Swinton), an arts columnist with a piece on the mad painter Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio Del Toro) and his muse and prison guard Simone (Lea Seydoux); Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand), who has been working on an essay documenting the grievances and personalities of student activist Zeffirelli (Timothee Chalamet); and food journalist Roebuck Wright, who has made a valiant effort to discuss the brilliance of police cook Lt. Nescaffier (Stephen Park), but who finds himself involved in a dangerous kidnapping.

This movie’s account of The French Dispatch is less narratively driven than most films. The story is, essentially, three stories and a few frame narratives which combine to form the latest edition of the French Dispatch magazine. Each story is accompanied by a dramatic and deeply enjoyable narration from the journalist, highlighting both their personality and that of the characters in their stories. But this means the film can feel unfocused and, I will admit, occasionally a little slow. If you rely on clear plotlines or compelling action, you’re going to start tearing your hair out after half an hour or so. That said, if you have the patience, you’ll be dazzled by brilliant performances from an all-star cast, which in addition to those mentioned above, includes appearances by Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, and Elizabeth Moss.

Anderson’s mastery of the form is on full display in this film. His occasionally childlike eccentricity and whimsy are wonderfully balanced by smart humor and clever camerawork, all nicely framed. The aptly named town of Ennui, France, springs to life with a delightful mélange of bizarre denizens, animated sequences, and of course, the tales told in the film. The signature Wes Anderson style, in short.

This movie does have its own issues, primarily related to negative content. For example, the “Art” section includes a fair amount of full-frontal female nudity, and although these scenes involve artists’ models, this is enough on its own to make the film a dubious choice for younger viewers. There are some scenes of implied sexual activity, but they manage to avoid the same degree of nudity. Other stories involve violence, but this largely takes place off-screen or is deliberately stylized for comic effect.

Fans of Wes Anderson (myself included) will no doubt enjoy the familiarities of his style and the unexpected places in which he finds comedy. If the laughs echoing from the back of the theater are to be taken as any indication, I was not alone in that opinion. But I’ll be the first to admit that, if you’re not familiar with Anderson’s films, or at least other off-beat indie comedies, this might not be the best place to start.