Streaming Recommendation: Wes Anderson's THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

Watching a Wes Anderson film is a lot like eating Sushi:

It’s an acquired taste

When done right, it can be exquisite

It can also be dull, boring and a bit stale (like Costco Sushi)

Fortunately for us all, Anderson’s latest oddity, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, is VERY GOOD (sushi), but maybe NOT the exquisite tastes of his best (like the GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL).

Set in a very “Anderson World” of the 1950’s (long on color and style, short on realism), THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME follows wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (a pitch-perfect BENICIO DEL TORO) as he appoints his only daughter (newcomer Mia Threapleton, Kate Winslet’s daughter) as his heir apparent. Korda, his daughter and a nebbish accountant (an also pitch-perfect Michael Cera) embark on Korda’s latest endeavor dodging scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and determined assassins along the way.

It’s the perfect playground for Anderson to play in - and play in it well he does - as the story is anchored, strongly, by the 3 lead performances and are ably assisted by cameos by the likes of Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Willem DaFoe, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson and, of course, Bill Murray (as God).

It’s a Monty Python-esque absurd tale that is just a reason for Anderson to go from absurd, but meticulously crafted, scene after absurd, but meticulously crafted scene and it succeeds far more than it doesn’t.

This being an Anderson film, the visuals are stunning to look at and when the scene (from a screenplay by Anderson and long-time screenwriter/collaborator Roman Coppola) falls short (or hollow), there is always something interesting to look at on the screen and marvel at the wonder and craft of it all.

Fortunately, those short/hollow scenes are few and far between and the center trio of Del Toro/Threapleton/Cera are interesting enough in and of themselves so the film has a solid base to fall upon.

Which is good for the plot is thin and is just an excuse to go from scene to scene but it is a fun, absurb ride that one will either revel in or dismiss.

It all depends on your taste for sushi.

Letter Grade: A-

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)