A Review

My friends and I spent weeks trying to set up a date to see Wes Anderson's newest movie "Asteroid City" together, and having finally seen it this Tuesday after rescheduling TWICE, all our effort proved not really that worth it. I was thoroughly disappointed.

The movie, or I should say the play within the movie, focuses on a traditional Wes ensemble of offbeat individuals who are visiting a Southwestern tourist trap known for being the site of a fictional meteorite crash. I was amused in spots, but mostly I just felt bored. The deadpan humor and dialogue, along with the pastel colors and sets are official trademarks of Anderson's at this point, but it's an act that has gotten stale. I took nothing away from this disjointed, patchwork comedy sketch with no depth, momentum, or emotional hook.

I didn't identify with any of the characters, all of whom talk and behave the almost exact same way. They're virtually interchangeable with each other and with characters from its director's other movies. That's the problem I have began to develop with Anderson. His films are the epitome of "same taste, different flavor."

I think Anderson devotees will get what they want out of "Asteroid City," as all of his recognizable signatures and quirks are on full display. It's just too bad they're only here as crutches for its weak, unmemorable story.