Synopsis: In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.
Written and directed by Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid) looks at small town America during the pandemic and shows some of the resulting drama that rose to the surface. And we see now, five years later, not all of it has gone away.
Aster began writing Eddington in June 2020 and completed filming in 2024, then had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May. He set it in New Mexico, a state he is familiar with after he moved there with his family when he was a child. IMDb has identified the film as a drama and contemporary Western, with dark comedy. There is some humor, but it is not likely that the audience will be laughing out loud. To say the filmmaker has provided a glimpse into the society we have been living in for over five years, imagine what it would be like if he had written it after the first six months in 2025. Not all filmmakers and crew are willing to do the work about current events, including the various deaths that sparked so much public activism. Aster has taken his shot at it and has great actors to take various roles for the various characters he has created. This will be one of the films where people will like it or will not be fans of the vision. I find it to be an interesting creation. Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) is pro use of the mask at the early stages of COVID in 2020. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is adamantly opposed to making people use masks since he doesn’t think there is COVID there. He also disagreed with the mayor because he thinks politicians like Garcia have too much control of people’s lives in their small town. Though Joe Cross seems to be a good person who is pro-citizens, as the story develops, we see it is mostly on the surface. The sheriff has his own troubles and not a happy man. Sheriff Cross ends up showing the audience how easy he can go down a dark path to achieve what he thinks is best. Small town quietness turns into extreme violence that can jolt the audience right out of their theater seats.
There are some topics and actions that were not at all pleasant in the last few years and the filmmaker does not shy away from them. That might be a point for consideration in making the choice to view the film, but it is relevant to the time then and now. Of course, there is also the topic of a multinational corporation that wants to build a data processing facility. To build or not to build? Who is going to vote when the audience often sees empty streets? Sheriff Joe Cross has two deputies, Guy (Luke Grimes) and Michael (Micheal Ward). He is married to Louise (Emma Stone) who has a history of some trauma and actively pursues a cult led by Vernon Jefferson Peak (Austin Butler, Elvis). There are many teenagers who surface and begin to protest, with conspiracies and racial tension arising. This just sends Sheriff Cross to unexpected places and actions.
Cast: Deirdre O’Connell (Dawn, Louise’s mother), Clifton Collins Jr. as Lodge, Amélie Hoeferle, William Belleau, Cameron Mann as Brian, Matt Gomez Hidaka as Eric Garcia, Rachel de la Torre as Paula, David Midthunder as Santa Lupe Pueblo Sheriff
148 minutes. Rated R for strong violence, some grisly images, language and graphic nudity.
Eddington opens in theaters this Friday, July 18th (with limited screenings on Thursday, on July 17, 2025 in a few theaters).
Source: A24
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