Ever since Ari Aster‘s film Eddington debuted at the Cannes Film Festival this year, people have been using “divisive” to describe it. This dark comedy takes place during the summer of 2020 – a time with heavy emotions for everyone – and delves into our recent history through the perspective of a small town in New Mexico. Its controversial themes have sparked intense debates… which suggests that it is achieving exactly what its writer/director aimed for.
During a recent interview with Aster and actors Luke Grimes and Micheal Ward at the LA press day for the upcoming 2025 movie, I noticed the controversial feedback and asked the director about how he considers audience reactions in his creative process. He shared that when developing a screenplay, there are distinct stages, but initially, he writes based on what he personally wants to express. In his own words, this is what the filmmaker conveyed.
When composing, I aim to avoid getting too worked up over how something might turn out and instead let my thoughts flow freely. Once it’s written down, it’s a matter of staying confident and making wise decisions about what may need adjustment. To be honest, I’m not sure. However, we knew it would stir controversy. It’s about polarization and division. We attempted to step back as much as possible to ensure it focuses on the environment, where everyone, in their own way, is missing a piece of the puzzle.
The unique challenge presented by the storyline of Eddington lies in understanding the motivations of its characters. For instance, the sheriff, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, is disgruntled over the state-enforced Covid regulations, while the mayor, played by Pedro Pascal, seeks financial backing from investors for his re-election campaign and a planned server farm construction. Their actions are heavily influenced by politics, especially during this tense period, but they do not necessarily act out of malicious intent.
The movie itself is about fractures in our society, and confronting audiences with that is going to naturally get a divisive reaction. Aster continued:
Each character in the film shows concern for the world, recognizes that something is amiss, and harbors a sense of unease, although their interpretations of the problem vary.
The cast of characters in this narrative features Emma Stone portraying the sheriff’s wife, who unwittingly delves into a maze of conspiracy theories; Micheal Ward as a Black police officer experiencing unusual focus during the nationwide Black Lives Matter demonstrations; Cameron Mann, a teenager drawn into social activism to win over his crush (Amèlie Hoeferle); and the director behind “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” explains that they all sense something amiss in their world, striving to make it right… however, as Aster points out, the complexities of modern life are far from simple or clear-cut.
Each character in the film shows concern for the world, recognizing that something amiss exists, sensing an unease, yet interpreting the problem differently from one another.
Featuring Austin Butler, Deirdre O’Connell, and William Belleau, the contentious film “Eddington” from A24 will hit theaters on July 18, this coming Friday.
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2025-07-17 05:07