Wes Anderson has once again delivered something very Wes Anderson. The Phoenician Scheme is amusing, exciting, and a little cartoonish as the director once again tells a story about a problematic patriarch.
The Phoenician Scheme Review
When it comes to directors working today, Wes Anderson may be the one with the most distinctive style. He has developed and perfected his method without care or concern about what anyone else thinks. I appreciate that about him, though it doesn't mean I'm a Stan by any means. However, there are those out there who absolutely love his films (as well as others who could care less). That is not likely to change with this latest, The Phoenician Scheme, a star-studded 1950s espionage farce about a father desperately trying to reconnect with his daughter while also working on a shady business deal.
The Phoenician Scheme is amusing, exciting, and breezy, although the ending left me wanting more. Clocking in at 1 hour and 41 minutes, Anderson wastes no time getting into the plot and allowing his talented troupe to take the reins of his script, which he co-wrote with Roman Coppola. It contains his signature aesthetic from the design to the fonts used on screen. Unlike his most recent works, The Phoenician Scheme doesn't move along the anthology route but is rather a road trip with a heavy emphasis on dry humor, wacky situations, and cartoonish violence. This puts it closer to Anderson's “The Darjeeling Limited” or his debut “Bottle Rocket.”
Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro) is a wealthy, conniving businessman who has made his vast wealth by playing all sides (and people) against the middle. It's not exactly a secret that he does this which has in turn made him a lot of enemies. So many in fact, he is the repeated target of assassination attempts, typically in the form of a plane crash but poison and assassins get thrown in for fun as well. After surviving, yet again, Korda decides he needs to make a plan for the future and that is where his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) comes in. She is on the verge of taking her vows at the nunnery when she is pulled into Korda's plans on a “trial basis.” The thing that keeps her next to her father is his promise that she will uncover the truth about her mother's murder, which he absolutely had nothing to do with. This means Liesl is along for the ride as Korda attempts to renegotiate the contracts with his various business partners, thanks to a plot by the United Nations to bankrupt him.
As per usual, Anderson has assembled a group of highly talented actors to bring his dry wit script to life. The Phoenician Scheme is no different, featuring several veterans to the Anderson way – Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson, Mathieu Amalric, and Rupert Friend. Although some have more screen time than others, they all make their mark on the screen. Hope Davis and Riz Ahmed are newcomers but fall into step without so much as a stumble. However, it is one of the other newbies, Michael Cera, who was clearly born to be in a film like this. I wouldn't be surprised if Anderson has already signed him on to whatever comes next. Cera plays Korda's Genevan tutor Bjørn, who gets swept up in the location-hopping adventure just because Korda has a desire to learn new things.
Threapleton is also a newcomer and equally up to task for playing Liesl. She brings a complexity to the deadpan personality of the almost nun. She's judgmental, pious, caring, aloof, clever, and annoyed. Her chemistry with Del Toro is a highlight of the film, and guarantees their shared scenes standout in the best ways. Their first exchange in the film is a delightful sparring match that sets the tone for this father daughter duo. Del Toro is magnetic, sly, and fascinating in his role as Korda. It's fun to watch the wheels turning in his head as he works out his dubious machinations. It's amusing to watch Korda attempt to con people who know what he's trying to do yet still can't help themselves from falling for his relentless charm.
Which is why I found the ending to be a bit of a letdown…anticlimactic is the word I used when I walked out of the theater. To say why I took issue with it would be to spoil it. So I'll just say it all seemed to be heading into one direction and then abruptly shifted then ended almost immediately afterwards. The choice to have it land the way it did left me feeling kind of “meh.” I would have much rather had a different outcome and I will be curious to see if anyone else agrees once it is out there for the masses to enjoy.
Overall, this film is a zig from the director after his previous work Asteroid City, but again that just seems to be his way. You think he will go in one direction for his next film only for him to decidedly do the opposite. For the casual viewer, if Asteroid City wasn't your thing, I would try The Phoenician Scheme, as it is far more comical and akin to Anderson's older films even if the ending left much to be desired in my humble opinion. It wasn't bad per se, just not where I felt it was headed. However, despite the letdown, The Phoenician Scheme is a good time, thanks to the performances of the cast and the cartoon violence that feels ripped from our favorite Looney Tunes episodes. When a guy casually hands out hand grenades like candy or watches people get blown up without so much as blinking, you can't help but giggle. The only thing missing was Coyote running into a painted tunnel on a stone wall.
Verdict
The Phoenician Scheme is amusing, exciting, breezy, and very Wes Anderson. Although the ending didn't do anything for me, there was still a lot to like about the film. I appreciated his signature vintage Hollywood vibe, the classical music score, and his homage to old B-list adventure movies. But it was the performances from the eclectic assortment of capable actors that really keep it engaging and make it worth a watch. Anderson fans will likely love it, haters probably not. But for those like me, who are just looking for something to entertain them, The Phoenician Scheme pulls it off without need for Korda's plotting to make it so.
The Phoenician Scheme premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. It releases in theaters on May 30. It's rated PG-13 for violent content, bloody images, some sexual material, nude images, and smoking throughout with a runtime of 1 hour 41 minutes.
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