Writer-director Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid) helms this neo-Western black comedy set in 2020 that chronicles a showdown between Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), leading to violence in the small town of Eddington, New Mexico. (148 min.)
Glen: There are no heroes and no one to root for in this story that takes us back to the bad old days of COVID-19 and mask mandates, of 6-foot social distancing and shuttered businesses. Black Lives Matter and critical race theory are also in the mix of social traumas, as well as contingents arguing for and against a proposed data center to be built on the outskirts of the fictional town of Eddington, New Mexico, population 2,634. Yes, there’s a lot to divide the citizens of this small town, which abuts an Indian reservation. At loggerheads are libertarian-minded Cross and liberal-minded Garcia, who are not only politically opposed, but also have a shared history with Cross’ wife, emotionally fragile Louise (Emma Stone). According to Louise’s mother, conspiracy-obsessed Dawn (Deirdre O’Connell), Garcia is the source of her daughter’s emotional state.
Anna: The beginning of the film definitely had some flashback effects on me. Even on the coast of California, I encountered people in stores and at my workplace who would happily rant and rave about mask mandates. In Aster’s film, the overarching story soon becomes about much more. Egos and jealousy and the “don’t tread on me” attitude all swirl into a pressure cooker just waiting to explode. Once Cross has it in his head that he should be mayor and Garcia should essentially be run out of town, it becomes his whole focus. All these other things like protests and gun violence and national tragedies, like the death of George Floyd, are just bothersome distractions keeping his constituents from focusing on getting him elected. Phoenix is really great here; no surprise there. In fact, this cast is as solid as they come. Aster has a knack for forcing his audience to live in the uncomfortable, but they are too engaged to look away, and Eddington seems to hit that mark again. Did I “like” watching it? Well, not always. Was it a fantastic piece of work? Absolutely.
Glen: The film effectively depicts the idea that the various sides are absolutely sure they’re right and their opposition is dead wrong, and they have no interest in finding common ground. Sound familiar? Add in the online conspiracies that shaped many people’s thinking, and rationality is just gone. Cross turns out to be as fragile as his wife, and he eventually reaches his breaking point after his wife is caught up in the nonsense spewed by online viral guru Vernon Jefferson Peak (Austin Butler). There’s really no one to like here. Even the young idealists impassioned by BLM protests are using their politics to judge others rather than to repair broken connections. Anger, jealousy, paranoia—the worst of human emotions are on full display. It’s uncomfortable viewing, and Aster has no answers for us. He just holds up a mirror. It’s also tragically comical, and the joke’s on us.
Anna: Everyone seems out to make their message the most heard, in that no-matter-what-it-takes way that can happen in heated divisive moments in our country. It should matter what it takes, otherwise we end up like the fictional town of Eddington. This film is a commitment at two and a half hours, but if you’re like me, you’ll be in it the whole time. Fans of Aster should definitely see this in the theater.
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jul 24 – Aug 3, 2025.