Wes Anderson's highly anticipated The French Dispatch had its Cannes premiere yesterday, and there is already lots of buzz around the starry production. Searchlight Pictures has released a clip to continue hype around the film, especially as reviews come soaring in from all around the world. Originally scheduled to premiere at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Anderson fans will be thrilled to hear that the movie receives his usual high marks for style and casting.
The French Dispatch has been described as Anderson's "love letter to journalism," which follows three stories in the 20th century in France. One story focuses on the May 68 student protests and another on a feature story about art dealer Lord Duveen. The cast is really what stands out the most, as all of Anderson's usuals are back plus some new faces. The film includes actors like Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Jeffrey Wright, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Liev Schreiber, Elisabeth Moss, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Christoph Waltz, Jason Schwartzman and more.
Parts of the film were shot in black-and-white, and if I were to guess, it would be to differentiate the different stories from each other. This new clip is also black-and-white, and features only McDormand and Chalamet out of the extensive cast. McDormand plays Lucinda Krementz, a journalist who is profiling the student revolutionaries, and Chalamet plays Zeffirelli, a student revolutionary. In the clip, McDormand feeling sad and hit by tear gas cleans up in the bathroom, only to discover a naked Chalamet having a bath. He asks her to review his manifesto, which is naturally riddled with typos and is unbecoming to criticism. Anderson's beautiful shots are on display, as well as his typical mix of humor and earnestness.
Most reviews of The French Dispatch have been overwhelmingly positive, mostly citing Anderson's visual style and the wonderful performances. However, there are a couple of critiques that critics have consensus on, the most common being that the narrative is slightly unengaging. Regardless, it's sure to please hardcore Anderson fans. He's actually already working on his next feature, which is set to film in Spain later this year. Anderson will once again reunite with Swinton, although no other details are known about the film's plot or title. Fox Searchlight will once again distribute this new, untitled feature, and will most likely premiere sometime in 2022 (two Anderson films in two years is quite a treat!).
But before then, The French Dispatch will hit theaters on October 22. Check out the first clip below.