The Phonecian Scheme
Year: 2025
Rating: PG-13
Length: 101 minutes / 1.68 hours
After a few “COVID years” of Wes Anderson films like The French Dispatch (2021) and Asteroid City (2023), it felt good to get back to an Anderson film that felt classic in its themes and presentation. The Phonecian Scheme (2025) has all the hallmark traits of modern Wes Anderson with its all-star cast, monotone affect, hilarious running gags, and geometric/symmetrical cinematography. But, even more, its plot has a driving force that doesn’t feel as fragmented as the films he made during the COVID years.
I have always appreciated modern Wes Anderson films for how they have a signature visual style. The Phonecian Scheme takes it even farther by making the camera almost like a character in itself, almost justifying the head-on centered framing that has been a staple of his style for so long. The colors here are definitely bold, like in The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), with the dream sequences featuring God (Bill Murray) standing out in their black-and-white contrast. As per usual, all the A-list actors are fantastic in their somewhat absurdist roles.
Ultimately, the themes in The Phonecian Scheme feel much more classic to Anderson’s previous works, almost as an homage to himself. There’s the father figure seeking redemption like The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), estranged siblings like Darjeeling Limited (2007), and dedication to see a project to completion like The Life Aquatic (2004). The overarching theme through all of these is, of course, death and how individuals (including the one dying) deal with this loss. Furthermore, The Phonecian Scheme does an excellent job of showing that a simple life with family can be much more rewarding than pursuing riches—especially riches earned through enterprises that make the world worse.
A return to form for Wes Anderson with a positive message about legacy, I give The Phonecian Scheme 4.5 stars out of 5.
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