Wednesday, Film4, 9:00pm
Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch is a meticulously crafted anthology that pays homage to the golden age of journalism and the idiosyncratic nature of print media. Set in the fictional French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé, the film weaves together three distinct stories from the final issue of an American magazine, each presented with Anderson’s signature symmetry, pastel palette, and whimsical flair. The film is a visual feast, with its scenes often resembling a series of live-action dioramas, underscored by the director’s painstaking attention to detail. Through the ensemble cast — which includes Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Timothée Chalamet — Anderson constructs a narrative that’s both absurdly comical and deeply poignant, reflecting on art, politics, and the transient nature of life.
The soundtrack, composed by Anderson’s frequent collaborator Alexandre Desplat, is a carefully curated companion to the film's eclectic storytelling. Desplat’s score swings between playful and melancholic, reflecting the unpredictable emotional shifts of the narrative. The jazz-inflected compositions, notably the track "Obituary," give the film a timeless feel, echoing the post-war European setting that Anderson evokes so vividly. The soundtrack also features French classics like Grace Jones' rendition of "I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)," which seamlessly ties into the film's Francophile tendencies, adding an air of nostalgia and sophistication.
What sets The French Dispatch apart is how deeply the music intertwines with the visual storytelling. In a film that celebrates the eccentricities of both its characters and the stories they tell, the soundtrack is never merely background noise. It serves as a conduit for the film's themes of memory, loss, and rebellion, while also reflecting the emotional undercurrents of its fragmented structure. Desplat’s compositions, mixed with curated jazz and French pop, create a soundscape that feels as meticulously curated as Anderson’s visuals, making The French Dispatch as much an auditory experience as a cinematic one.
- Daisy Rae