Ari Aster’s latest film, Eddington, is not for the faint of heart or anyone expecting clarity, comfort, or even coherence. This surreal, satirical drama opens with the ranting of a homeless man and quickly dives deeper into confusion, chaos, and cultural disintegration. It’s the kind of movie that may leave you mentally exhausted, whispering “what just happened?” as the credits roll.
Set in a fictional New Mexico town during May 2020, Eddington transforms the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the explosion of internet misinformation into a dark, dizzying narrative. It’s a purposely anti-escapist film, confronting viewers with unfiltered debates about masks, conspiracy theories, social media influencers, and political agendas. No one comes out looking sane, not the “truthers,” not the “woke” teens, not the politicians, and certainly not the local sheriff, Joe Cross.
Joaquin Phoenix stars as Cross, a quiet lawman disturbed by mandates and personal regrets. He finds himself unwillingly thrust into a symbolic war with the tech-backed mayor, Ted Garcia, played by Pedro Pascal. Their feud blurs political and personal boundaries, with old wounds turning into twisted allegations. Supporting characters, including an underused Emma Stone as Cross’s wife and a conspiracy-obsessed mother-in-law, round out a cast of caricatures that highlight the film’s descent into paranoia and absurdity.
In Eddington, every conspiracy is true and every character is on the brink. As society collapses, even the most rational figures are consumed by delusion. Austin Butler delivers a standout performance as a cult-like influencer, one of the film’s many avatars of seductive chaos.
Yet for all its ambition and technical execution, Eddington feels more like a provocation than a revelation. The satire is pointed but scattershot, the characters hollow, and the message muddled. It is both too late and too soon for a film like this, too close to recent history to feel fresh, and too removed to offer meaningful insight.
While some viewers may admire its audacity, others will find little substance beneath the spectacle. Eddington is the cinematic equivalent of a nervous breakdown—brilliantly acted, eerily relevant, but ultimately exhausting.
Rated R for strong violence, grisly images, language, and graphic nudity. Eddington runs 148 minutes and earns 2 out of 4 stars. It opens in theaters this Friday.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
