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.

Review

Ari Aster’s Eddington begins with what seems like a straightforward political rivalry in a small town: the Mayor, played with slick charm by Pedro Pascal, is pitted against the town’s sheriff, portrayed with tense restraint by Joaquin Phoenix. What starts as a petty power struggle quickly unravels into something far darker and more chaotic, as Aster escalates the conflict to almost absurd heights. The film spirals into a surreal satire of modern America, tackling far-right conspiracy theories, woke liberalism, cults, COVID mask mandates, and everything in between.

Aster pulls no punches. He skewers both sides of the political spectrum with a sharp and unforgiving blade, portraying their most extreme versions in a dramatized, almost grotesque manner. No one escapes unscathed. His critique of social media hysteria, outrage culture, and the 24-hour news cycle is loud and unrelenting. There are moments that will leave audiences genuinely breathless—not just from suspense, but from sheer disbelief at how far the story pushes the envelope. And yet, for all the chaos, it’s never clear what Aster wants to say.

This is perhaps the film’s biggest flaw: Eddington wants to say everything, but ends up saying very little. The movie piles on themes and ideas—government distrust, media manipulation, tribalism, the cult of personality—but offers no resolution or insight. It’s hard to tell whether Aster is intentionally keeping the message ambiguous or simply got lost in the noise of his own ambition. Joaquin Phoenix has said in interviews that the film is meant to reflect our current reality and force viewers to decide for themselves where truth ends and delusion begins. But that leaves us with a movie that feels more like a mirror than a narrative. It shows us the madness we’re already living in—without guiding us anywhere new.

While the core dynamic between Pascal and Phoenix gives the film a strong foundation, the supporting cast is a mixed bag. Emma Stone plays the sheriff’s wife, but her character is underwritten. She delivers a solid performance, but the role offers her very little to work with. Austin Butler appears as a cult leader, a role that could have been fascinating but is squandered by his limited screen time and lack of real narrative impact. His inclusion feels more like a marketing decision than a story necessity.

Eddington is ambitious and provocative, but it buckles under the weight of its own ideas. Aster aims high—perhaps too high—trying to encapsulate the insanity of our times in a single film. A24 is known for producing excellent films, but even they can miss the mark from time to time. The result is an overstuffed, uneven spectacle that leaves you exhausted rather than enlightened. Some will praise it for its audacity. Others, like myself, will leave the theater wondering what the point was. In the end, Eddington might reflect the world we live in a little too accurately: chaotic, polarized, and deeply confused.

Courtesy of A24