Asteroid City Movie Review

“Asteroid City” is a quirky little comedy from Wes Anderson. His work is focused on style and exacting screen composition. He favors a shading scheme of calm and collected colors. This time, the subject is 1955 America in the Great Southwest. Back then, the families were close-knit and nuclear. Just like the above-ground Bomb tests, set off in the distant desert.

But first things come first. The Host (played by Bryan Cranston), who is the main person behind a 1995 TV anthology television show, talks about this week’s episode. It is three-act play by the famous Western playwright named Conrad Earp (played by Edward Norton).

An esteemed widely-known director, Schubert Green (played by Adrien Brody) will direct the play — called “Asteroid City”. They will have support and guidance from a revered acting teacher named Saltzburg Keitel (played by Willem Dafoe). The black-and-white presentation will pop out as if it was filmed in color…

In 1955, the Junior Stargazer convention is held in the Western Desert town named Asteroid City. It is home to a large crater created centuries ago. There is a small scientific observatory nearby and the contents of the city are across the main street. There a gas station and garage which is home to Mechanic Hank (played by Matt Dillon). There is a small motel on the other side, run by the Hotel Manager (played by Steve Carell).

The guests begin to arrive. These include a busload of students and their teacher – June Douglas (played by Maya Hawke). There is a traveling Western band, with the leader named Montana (played by Rupert Friend). The take to each other immediately.

Many of the ‘Junior Stargazers’ are there to compete in an award ceremony and completion. The inventions and discoveries made by the Junior Stargazers are always on the cutting edge of scientific breakthrough. The judges are General Grif Gibson (played by Jeffrey Wright), who hosts these awards. The general has an Aide-de-Camp (played by Tony Revolori) who does all the paperwork. Another judge is the main scientist at the observatory — Dr. Hickenlooper (played by Tilda Swinton).

The family of Augie Steenbeck (played by Jason Schwartzman) arrives in a beat-up old station wagon. Augie is a war photographer, and never was around much to tend to his car, or to his children. His son, Woodrow Steenbeck (played by Jake Ryan) is up for a major award. His three young daughters are sure they are a coven of witches. Augie has recently lost his wife, and for the past three weeks — he has not found a way to tell his children…

Augie finds that the family car has died, just like his wife. Now he is in a pickle. He has no way to get back home with the brood, unless he calls on his father-in-law. His wife’s father is Stanley Zak (played by Tom Hanks). He is very well-off and he totally loved his daughter and his grandchildren. His son-in-law is a different story – of course…

Another family arrives, and it is famous actress Midge Campbell (played by Scarlett Johansson). She is there to support her very intelligent daughter, Dinah Campbell (played by Grace Edwards). She is studying a script for a new movie, and thinks some private time in a quite place will be very helpful. She will soon be mistaken…

There is another group of very smart ‘Brainiac’ kids who also show up for the Junior Stargazer convention. These include Rickey, Clifford and Shelley (played by Ethan Josh Lee, Aristou Meehan, Sophia Lillis). All are brilliant and quirky. The parents of the Junior Stargazers are also there with the kids. These include: J.J. Kellogg, Sandy Borden, Roger Cho (played by Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park).

So in one day, the population of Asteroid City has more than doubled. There are some speeches by General Gibson and remarks by Dr. Hickenlooper. The awards are given out, and families are all pleased. The teacher June and the Western singer Montana find a strong mutual attraction.

Augie finds that his cabin window faces the cabin window of Midge. They have been having long serious conversations. Stanley Zak had arrived and he dotes on his grandchildren. He is still reserved about Augie, since he has still not told the children about their mother’s death.

That night, there is fantastical star gazing event inside the huge crater. But in the middle of the event, a new event occurs. An alien spacecraft comes overhead, and an Alien Being comes down to the floor of the crater. He picks up the original asteroid that formed the crater. The Alien leaves on the same little extending-pole device that he came down on. But not before smiling and posing for a picture taken by famous war photographer Augie Steenbeck.

At that point, the whole event is changed. General Grif Gibson gets on his Aide-de-Camp to fill out all the paperwork to send this request to the President. They must have a total quarantine and media blackout on the events of Asteroid City. Nobody goes out or in, and no information get spread…

But there is the picture of the alien, taken by Augie, and there are Junior Stargazer ‘Brainiac’ kids. Each of them has ideas about how to get around any blockade of information. And they are able to do just that. The word gets out, and overnight, the population of Asteroid City has more than doubled — once again.

“Asteroid City” is quaint look back at a quaint time in history. The Wes Anderson style is always present. The tilt of the camera, the gorgeous look of the movie frame – it all spells out the hallmarks of a Wes Anderson film. Add into that the offbeat storyline, the large ensemble of curious characters. Then he tops all that off with the splendid color scheme of ‘just the right shades’ for each shot. You might call Wes Anderson the ‘Prince of the Pastel Palette’.

But Anderson’s writing would not be worthwhile if there were not for the talented troupe of actors in this movie. The dialog is sometimes funny, and sometimes dark – but it is always engaging. Especially when the folks playing the characters are as good as this crew. Jason Schwartzman, and Scarlett Johansson, along with Tom Hanks have major roles.

If there is a downside, it is the concept of what you are seeing is only a play. The play is presented as an episode of a national TV network show. When it breaks from the quaint location of Asteroid City and goes back to Black-and-White, the interest starts to lag. The ‘TV’ behind-the-scenes segments break up the flow of the regular story.

“Asteroid City” is way for Wes Anderson to look back to a past time in America. Back to when families were close-knit and nuclear. Just like the above-ground Atom Bomb tests, off in the distance.