Wes Anderson’s latest has dropped, and we all know what that means: endless discussions as to whether he’s become a parody of himself, is choosing style over substance, etc, etc, etc.

For people spending their valuable time arguing these points, I have one piece of advice: you don’t need to watch his films. You certainly don’t need to like them. It’s okay. You can go and watch something else.

It’s true that Anderson is a filmmaker with an instantly recognizable style which he has refined over the years, to the point that Accidentally Wes Anderson has become a meme with a life of its own. And I agree with criticasters who argue that the square, two-dimensional format with his trademark restricted colour scheme he has become so fond of occasionally distracts from the story he’s trying to tell (Asteroid City being a case in point). Characters often appear cartoony and wooden, which makes it difficult to like them or care about what happens to them over the course of the story. I completely understand why this puts people off.

And yet. Every time a new Anderson film drops I can’t resist heading to my local cinema to go and see it. Because although there are certainly some of his films that I didn’t particularly like (Asteroid City again) it’s rare to find a film maker so consistent in his execution and refinement of his vision. You may not like that vision, and that’s perfectly fine, but give me an Anderson film over yet another Marvel-monstrosity any day.

Anyway, back to the film. The Phoenician Scheme has a plot which I, even having read the synopsis on Wikipedia, don’t understand. Not that it matters. It has Benicio del Toro playing its lead, that’s what matters. The rest of the cast also do a fine job, with a special mention for Michael Cera, who should win the Oscar for most striking mid-film character transition this year (I know that category doesn’t exist, I just feel it should be created especially for this film).

Visually, the film is a feast, although it feels a bit pared down compared to some of Anderson’s earlier creations. Benedict Cumberbatch’s eyebrows, in particular, are in a league of their own. A special mention for the crew who bring all this to life: the people who design and create the sets, props, costumes, make up, wigs. Too often they are forgotten, and it’s one of the reasons why I always make a point of sitting through the end credits in the cinema: their names deserve to be acknowledged.

Is this my favourite Anderson film? Certainly not. The Grand Budapest Hotel continues to top my list, closely followed by The French Dispatch (which, I know, many people hate). Did I enjoy it? Very much so. Perhaps it just served as an escapism gateway after a busy week, but I left the cinema feeling cheerful and invigorated, and surely that’s a good thing. The Phoenician Scheme won’t win Anderson any new fans and will probably provide ample ammunition for people determined to dislike his work. But for people just looking for something beautiful to temporarily distract them from the mess that is our real world, I can’t recommend this film enough.

Photo by Jeffrey Czum via Pexels