As a filmmaker, Wes Anderson has a distinct signature style. His quirky ensemble cast read their lines with a dry sense of humor. The set designs and choreography are meticulously presented in a symmetrical format. In his latest work, ‘Asteroid City’ brings a sense of melancholy to the retro world of the atomic age. It might seem frivolous on the surface but there is no denying Anderson’s existential search for the meaning of life. As Edward Norton’s character says what his work is about: “It’s about infinity and I don’t know what else.” ‘Asteroid City’ is the indie film you need to experience this summer.
So, let’s talk about the set up. Asteroid City is actually a play within a play that is being broadcast on the television in the 1950s. It’s a fascinating way to tell the story. We get to see a handful of characters they portray on stage as well as behind-the-scenes. The plot centers around Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman), playing an actor playing the role of a recently widowed war photographer. He travels to the desert with his brainiac son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) and 6-year-old triplets. Their destination is Augie’s rich father-in-law Stanley Zak’s (Tom Hanks) house in Palm Springs. Their car breaks down stranding them in Asteroid City.
Asteroid City has a population of 87. They come to town for the Junior Stargazer Convention. The government has organized the event as a science competition for genius kids. General Grif Gibson (Jeffrey Wright) explains that scientists are a key part of the nation’s defense strategy. He sees these young prodigies as future bomb makers for the Defense Department. In the distance, you see atomic bombs being tested as they innocently form into a mushroom cloud.
As characters are thrown into this small town, connections are made and romances blossom. Some of the standouts are Jason Schwartzman’s and Scarlett Johansson’s wounded characters. He is grieving his wife’s death. He carries her cremated ashes in a Tupperware container. Johansson plays Midge Campbell, a 50s movie star reminiscent of Kim Novak. Johansson is terrific as the sexual, lost celebrity from the Golden Age of Hollywood. They have a brief but emotional romance together. At one point, Midge tells Augie, “You really did it. That actually happened.” This is revelatory in a way since Anderson is showing us how we go through much of our lives in a superficial, disingenuous way.
The film is also about grief. Not only is Augie grieving the loss of his wife. His son Woodrow is also grieving the loss of his mother. He is one of the genius kid astronomers. Anderson is so good at showing young love. Woodrow meets Midge’s prodigy daughter Dinah (Grace Edwards). There’s a blossoming romance. They seem relieved to know that there are other kids out there that are just as smart as they are. Another romance that forms is between schoolteacher (Stranger Things’ Maya Hawke) and cowboy (Rubert Friend).
Wes Anderson is an acquired taste. ‘Asteroid City’ has all the elements that make his films so unique. It has an eccentric cast of characters that get to emote witty dialogue. The production design is beyond stunning. More importantly, Anderson is making a point about humanity in the context of alien contact. ‘Asteroid City’ examines are fears of xenophobia. The alien plays the ultimate outsider and forces the characters to take on a worldview. Scarlett Johansson’s character sums it up best, “Did you see the way it looked at us? Like we’re doomed.”
