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Doomscrolling is a disease in ‘Eddington,’ a fever dream about COVID conspiracies

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Ari Aster’s “Eddington” is a brilliantly crafted social satire reflecting modern America, which leaves me contemplating hiding it in the desert for two decades so the passage of time might help soften its relevance and make its comedic aspects more palatable.

This contemporary western story unfolds in New Mexico, Aster’s native state, where wind-blown debris resembles tumbleweeds. Sheriff Joe Cross (played by Joaquin Phoenix) strides determinedly toward Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal), his opponent in the election, on the street. It’s the month of May in 2020, a time when the initial unease of the COVID-19 pandemic was palpable, and the world seemed to be unraveling. Joe is incensed by the recent mask mandate due to his asthma, finding it difficult to comprehend why people would hide their faces.

Joe and Ted have long-standing animosity towards each other, which stems from issues involving Louise (Emma Stone), Joe’s fragile wife who is affectionately known as Rabbit, and Dawn (Deirdre O’Connell), Louise’s mother. Louise is an adult woman with a childlike demeanor who creates eerie dolls, while Dawn is a conspiracy theorist who thinks the Titanic sinking was not an accident. Dawn is eager to uncover the reason behind this worldwide lockdown; she finds solace in believing that everything happens for a purpose. Her enthusiasm for conspiracies seems to spread to others.

Troubles have long been plaguing Eddington, not just instances like broken shop windows. Joe, sporting a white hat and seemingly self-appointed as the hero, may not be equipped for the role he’s taken on. With a keen eye, you might perceive his viewpoint that he is fighting for the oppressed. A situation that sets Joe off is when an elderly person without a mask is kicked out of the local grocery store, with other patrons clapping their approval. “Disgraceful public humiliation,” he exclaims bitterly.

In his campaign video, Joe asserts that Eddington is free from COVID-19 and encourages citizens to open their hearts. His sincerity is both endearing and worrying, as it’s clear he’s omitting crucial facts. Meanwhile, the opposition’s ads portray a fictional utopia where Ted plays piano on the street and greets more Black people in 15 seconds than are depicted in the entire movie. Ted also promises that allowing a large tech company called SolidGoldMagikarp to construct a disputed data center on the county border won’t drain resources, but will instead turn this small town into a job center. With elections serving as a gauge of public trust, which candidate’s exaggerations are you more inclined to believe?

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Along the Croisette, Ari Aster’s film ‘Eddington’, featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, as well as a powerful directorial debut by Harris Dickinson (from ‘Babygirl’), is drawing interest.

Trouble is on its way, much like in “High Noon,” this anxious town will split before the danger arrives. Aster does an exceptional job of meticulously portraying the small, fearful behaviors we’ve tried to forget about COVID, making it a pity (and a relief) that the story isn’t primarily focused on the pandemic. Instead, another malady has struck Eddington: Social media has caused everyone to develop a sort of mental illness.

The movie is filled with various headlines that are serious, trivial, or misleading, displayed boldly on computer screens demanding attention. (Don’t you recall when everyone was too busy to worry about murder hornets?) Influencers, charlatans, and perhaps even genuine reporters chatter in the backgrounds of the scenes, influencing people’s thoughts and actions, sometimes to their detriment. Joe deeply cherishes his wife. We catch glimpses of him secretly watching a YouTuber teach him how to persuade Louise, who seems reluctant to have children. Regrettably, he spends his nights in their bed, scrolling aimlessly through social media.

In the series “Eddington”, each character seems isolated and yearns for companionship. A particularly poignant moment of humiliation occurs when one character is ostracized at an outdoor gathering, as if they were infected with a contagion. The presence of phones pervades their interactions; the camera is constantly in use, either live-streaming or recording, transforming everyday life into a reality TV show and every dialogue into a theatrical act.

The storyline enlarges to incorporate Joe’s assistants, aggressive character Luke Grimes (portrayed as Aggro Guy) and Bitcoin enthusiast Michael (played by Michael Ward), alongside a police officer from the neighboring reservation, Officer Butterfly Jimenez (William Belleau). Also included are a group of teenagers looking for identity and purpose. They find themselves at odds despite their common desire to be right, to have significance, to belong. When George Floyd is tragically killed in another state, these young activists become energized, eager to participate in the protests. The protesters are genuine in their commitment to the cause, but it’s disconcerting to witness Sarah (Amélie Hoeferle) instruct her former boyfriend Michael, who is Black and a police officer, about his emotions. Meanwhile, Brian (Cameron Mann), who is white and one of the most intriguing characters, experiences such a strong longing for Sarah’s attention that he delivers an amusing, slogan-ridden outburst: “My role is to sit down and listen! Once I finish this speech, I’ll be able to do so!

In a whirlwind of rapid-fire dialogue and humor, Aster packs every scene with sharp wit and visual jokes, overwhelming our senses. His words are loaded with offensive undertones – “deep state,” “sexual predator,” “antifa” – making it feel like a relentless barrage. When a charismatic figure named Vernon (Austin Butler) enters the narrative, he spins an incredible yarn of victimhood to Joe’s family, acknowledging that his story sounds utterly absurd, even coming from him. Indeed, Aster intends for us to feel drained while trying to discern truth from illusion.

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Ari Aster’s latest film, titled “Eddington,” emerged as a product of the apprehensions he experienced amidst the COVID-19 lockdown. His concerns revolve around the deterioration of truth and democracy.

Their heated exchange escalates to a point where Joe and Dawn seem to be exchanging meaningless words, more akin to rapid-fire banter than a meaningful conversation. It’s as if they’ve both been binging online content excessively, appearing unusually energetic or hyperactive. In essence, they can be described as internet addicts.

Aster’s movies are darkly funny, and his style of filmmaking might make you cringe more than scream. Despite being known for high-end horror films about pain, Aster is actually a comedian who overdramatizes his worries. Even in his most understandable movie, ‘Midsommar,’ the main actress, Florence Pugh, doesn’t just cry, she wails as if she could swallow everything. It seems that when Aster gets too emotional, he makes himself feel worse until it feels like a joke. Turning the tragic into comedy can help.” (I used to cope with a breakup by watching “The Notebook” repeatedly.)

In “Beau Is Afraid,” Aster’s previous film with Phoenix, focusing solely on one man seemed overly harsh. Conversely, “Eddington” is a hilarious take on group therapy sessions. I believe that Aster understands that we would have no empathy for a character like Joe if we read about him in a newspaper. Instead, Aster ties us emotionally to Joe’s perspective and takes us on an intricate and bitingly funny journey filled with unexpected humor, where the eerie sounds of Haxan Cloak and Daniel Pemberton’s score serve as the perfect backdrop for the slithering snakes that punctuate the film.

As a cinephile, I must admit that not all plot twists hit the mark. In the movie “Eddington,” Jo’s most jarring turn takes us on an internal journey so perplexing, it leaves us questioning the direction of the storyline. The script even throws us a bone with a passerby yelling, “You’re going the wrong way!” By the bitter end, all we can say for certain is that Phoenix has mastered playing pitiful characters better than anyone else in Hollywood today. From “Her” to “Joker,” and “Napoleon” to “Inherent Vice,” he continues to uncover fresh nuances in his downtrodden characters. The production design team has done a commendable job of making Joe’s dwelling a gloomy mess and dressing him in worn-out jeans. In stark contrast, Ted, played by Pascal, struts around as the epitome of cowboy cool in his luxurious adobe home, even hoarding toilet paper for himself.

Eddington observes that every resident in town carries some degree of imperfection within them. Unfortunately, this leads people to be quick to judge and criticize others as a means to feel morally superior. As a result, it seems like everyone is receiving warning signs (yellow cards) for their mistakes. However, despite our shortcomings, most of us are striving to do what’s right.

In my opinion, Aster isn’t going to restore Eddington to its former glory. He often seems bewildered by the intricate conspiracies, and when he takes hold of a machine gun, his aim is off target. Aster, though, is at his most compelling when he refuses to disclose the truth. When you step back to survey the entire scene, you can piece together most of the story. I’d recommend watching “Eddington” once, discussing it over margaritas, and then rewatching it. Aster has a knack for making viewers voice their theories aloud, and when you do, you sound as unbalanced as the characters in the movie. I appreciate that kind of accountability: a film that doesn’t preach righteousness but encourages us to share the blame.

As a film enthusiast, I can’t help but reflect on the fact that some come out on top while others are left behind, even those who seemingly won may feel like they lost, and those who plot deceit often escape unpunished. Five years since the events portrayed in this movie, we’re still grappling with the fallout, feeling the weight of the wronged. However, when we gather to laugh at our shared experience in the cinema, it momentarily alleviates the sense of isolation.

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2025-07-17 13:32

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