“They say you killed my mother,” the young nun tells the tycoon’s tycoon. “I feel the need to address this.”
There is something about the inexpressive delivery and the clear way that makes you sit and take note of Liesl, and even more than Mia Threapleton, which interprets it in “The Phoenician scheme”. (And there is something else, too obvious to ignore: boy, do you ever look like your mother, Kate Winslet)?
A vivid presence despite its dry tone, Threapleton makes a splendid Andersonian debut here as half of the father-dash duo, along with Benicio del Toro, which drives The latest creation of the director. Its emerging relationship is what stands out in the midst of relatives Andersonian details: the aesthetics of the image book. The meticulous production design (even those fascinating closing credits). The chapter cards. The “who is who” of the Hollywood cameos. And above all the intricate: more, elaborate; No, labyrinthine – plot.
In fact, Anderson seems to be supported by some of these characteristics here, giving the impression of becoming even more, well, Wes Anderson than before. Probably delight his most burning fans, but maybe he loses some others with the plot, which becomes a bit exhausting along as we reached the midpoint of this story.
But what is the Phoenician scheme, anyway?
It is a radical, ambitious and somewhat corrupt dream of an anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda (Del Toro), one of the richest industrialists in Europe, to exploit a vast region of the world. We started in 1950, with another murder attempt in Korda’s life: its sixth plane crash, to be exact, what happens while you feel smoking a cigar and reading about botany.
Suddenly, in a sequence prior to enormously entertaining credits, Korda is in the cabin, expelling his useless pilot and directing his own rescue, asking Ground Control if he must crash a corn or soy field. The media cries their death, and then appears, a shattered eye, biting a corn peel. As usual, the reports of his death have been … You know.
Recovering in its heritage, with some truly fabulous bathrooms and in tiles, Korda summons the convent in which he sent it to 5 years. He wants her to be her only heir, and avenger, if her abundant enemies catch him.
His plans are contained in a series of shoe boxes. But Liesl is not very interested in the Phoenician Infrastructure Scheme of the Earth and the Sea. What he wants to know is who killed his mother. She also mentions that they have not been seen in six years. (“I apologize,” he says.) And she wonders why none of her nine children, young children who keep in a bedroom, will be heirs. But Korda loves her.
They agree on a trial period. We have the feeling of drag that will never return to the convent, maybe it is the red lipstick or the affinity that is developing for the jewels? But we deviate.
We should now mentioned the tutor and insect expert, BJørn. In his first Anderson movie, but probably not the last one, Michael Cera This character lives with the fair combination of commitment and self -consciousness. “I could eat a horse,” he reflects with a fool of quasi-norgo accent before lunch, “And easily a dove!”
It is now on the way they go, to ensure investments in the scheme. We will not enter financial subtleties: writers have words of words, and readers have patience limits. But the trip implies, obviously! – A long line of characters that only Anderson could give life.
Among them: the Sacramento Consortium, also known as Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston, two US types that depend on their financial commitment in the result of a game of horses.
Next, it is Marseille Bob (Mathieu Amalric), and then to Marty (Jeffrey Wright), leader of the Newark union (we are not talking about Jersey here, but the independent Phoenicia of the East of the East), which offers a transfusion of blood to Korda because, oh yes, the terrorists shot him in the previous meeting. (Don’t worry, the boy is indestructible).
Then there is the premium Hilda (Scarlett Johansson, continuing the cameo parade), with whom Korda seeks to marry to participate in the investment.
And then back on the plane, the group is attacked by a combat plane. Soon, it will be revealed that one of them is a mole. We will not tell him who, although it is difficult to know if something is really a spoiler here, such as the part in which Benedict Cumberbatch appears with a very false beard like Uncle Nubar, who can be someone’s father or may have killed someone, and gets involved in a fight with Korda, complete with the first level.
Nor should we tell you what happens with the great scheme of OL: it was anyway. And about Korda and Liesl, who in the end have discovered things from each other but, even more, about themselves.
As for Liesl, in the end, she is dressed in black and white style, but definitely not in a habit. As someone said about Mary in “The sound of music”, “somewhere, there is a lady who I think will never be a nun.”
“The Phoenician Scheme”, a focus launch characteristics, has been qualified PG-13 by the Motion Film Association “for violent content, bloody images, some sexual material, naked images and smoking at all times.” Execution time: 101 minutes. Two and a half stars of four.
