Contemporary 2021 Selection: The French Dispatch (2021)

 Wes Anderson's "The French Dispatch"

Wes Anderson's 2021 film "The French Dispatch" is a series of vignettes that illustrate the last edition of the fictional newspaper 'The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun.' The newspaper's editor, Arthur Howitzer, has died. Arthur has expressed in his will that following his death, one final farewell issue will be published that contain three articles from past editions of the paper, along with an obituary. The first of the three articles centers on the life of an artist and mentally disturbed prison inmate. The second focuses on a student revolution. The third, a heist story. All these stories illustrate the theme that news and publications are similar to art itself. The similarity being that all come from a particular perspective and all have their own aesthetics, based on the person writing the article. 

In his review of the film, New Yorker critic Richard Brody states that in 'The French Dispatch', art and power are inseparable. I believe this to be the driving point by Anderson. All of the stories are driven by aesthetic choices by the characters. These aesthetic choices aren't necessarily derived consciously. Rather, these choices can simply be the interpretation of the world around you. Because of this, the profession of the people telling us these stories are journalists - whose job it is to interpret the events of the world. All of the power struggles in each story are the staunch individualist preferences each character fights for. And of course, aesthetics clash. Anderson views the world as individuals clinging tightly to their own interpretations and aesthetic comforts. With this, Anderson also uses his own aesthetics to establish this point and even alienate the audience in the process - or at least keeps them at arm's length. Many are calling this the most 'Wes Anderson' film of all his films. This seems intentional by Anderson. His specificities and aesthetics overwhelm the film and don't seem to let the viewer take a breath. This is done to provide the film's point. The world is interpreted exclusively through Anderson's perspective and aesthetic and doesn't ever let the viewer feel comfortable with one style of visual storytelling. Anything can happen in the story that can be told through any artistic style: color, black & white, stage play, or even cartoon animation. 

Frances McDormand's character, Lucinda, notes that it is hard to have neutral integrity as a journalist. This is because perspective is never neutral. This is especially important to consider for the times we are currently living in, where all 'news' seems to have a specific perspective. Anderson is perhaps saying that all information is aesthetically chosen and filtered, and perhaps it is not just a contemporary problem. As we are able to see different time periods throughout the film, we are able to see that times don't actually change. Great art will always stem from pain and used for profit, the kids will always revolt their parents' world, and people will continue to act in their own self-interest. Times do not change, but aesthetics do. This is because aesthetic is merely the perspective of the individual, the generation, the class, the race, or the sexual orientation. All of these perspectives will continue mix and clash, creating a tableau of truth - just like the French Dispatch newspaper. It is also important to note in the film that these aesthetics and perspectives will try to dominate others, as aesthetics are power. It is through these journalists that these power grabs get told and documented.