‘Asteroid City’: Wes Anderson Brings the Laughs in Visually Stunning Film (Review)

Wes Anderson is known for his eccentric films that have a unique visual style. He has been praised for his work over the years, earning 15 Academy Award nominations and four Academy Award wins in his career. His new film, Asteroid City is another project where he looks at a subject in a different light. The movie is visually beautiful that keeps viewers entertained from start to finish.

Asteroid City is a fictional American town located in the desert. The story focuses on a group coming together for a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention in 1955. Things are going smoothly until they get interrupted by an unknown visitor which leads to world-changing events. 

It seems like a typical alien encounter story, but Anderson is too smart to be predictable. The 54-year-old director is known for having an ensemble cast for his films, and Asteroid City is no different. Led by Anderson regular Jason Schwartzman who plays the main protagonist, Asteroid City gives viewers a look into the lives of people across the country during an interesting time in America. Schwartzman plays Augie, a war photographer who brings his son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) to Asteroid City for the convention. He runs into Hollywood star Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson) whose daughter, Dinah (Grace Edwards) is also part of the convention and receiving an award. Augie and Midge began flirting with each other, which leads to a fun dynamic with Schwartzman and Johansson.

Another strong performance in Asteroid City comes from Tom Hanks who plays Augie’s father-in-law Stanley Zak. He makes it clear that he’s not a big fan of Augie but comes to Asteroid City to support his grandson. There are also memorable performances from Jeffery Wright, Tilda Winton, Maya Hawke and Steve Carrell.

Bryan Cranston plays the narrator in Asteroid City and has one of the funniest scenes in the flim and comes at a perfect time. He explains to the viewers what’s going on in Asteroid City and informs them that it’s actually a play produced for television and written by Conrad Earp (Edward Norton). This means the characters in Asteroid City are actors, and we see them behind-the-scenes trying to identify with their characters. It’s an interesting twist from Anderson, but it works as he gives a look at science and art coming together and not being different from one another. 

But if there’s anything that stands out above all else in Asteroid City, it’s the overall look of the film. It had the 1950s Western feel but then would go to black-and-white when the behind-the-scenes scenes were taking place. There’s no secret  Anderson had a one-of-a-kind vision for the movie and he delivered in a big way.

For those who have not watched any films from Anderson, Asteroid City might not make a strong impression on you. But for those who have seen films like Rushmore, The Royal Tennenbaums, and The Grand Budapest Hotel, Asteroid City will be another favorite movie for Anderson fans. We’ll just have to wait to see if the Academy thinks it’s one of the year’s best movies.