THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

After surviving multiple assassination attempts, businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benito Del Toro) names his nun daughter (Mia Threapleton) as sole heir to his entire fortune on a trial basis. They set off to negotiate trade terms with several foreign tycoons and find themselves dodging death and misadventure along the way. In true Wes Anderson fashion (he serves as director, producer, and screenwriter) the film features an a-list cast, including Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, Michael Cera, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Bryan Cranston, and Rupert Friend. The slapstick humour provides a few laughs though the plot is only moderately engaging. The stars of the show are the distinctive colour palate and intentionally themed, meticulously detailed sets synonymous with all of Andersons movies. His distinct visual style always oozes brilliance, even though in this instance, the content didn’t quite match his creative genius.