Not to mention Anderson’s central framing motif, this film utilizes visual elements to their fullest potential to convey so many intricate emotions and storytelling that separate this film from other recent releases. His typical storytelling techniques of immaculate flat-lay images, 90-degree whip pans, and an emphasis on movement through a two-dimensional plane create a visual style unmatched by other modern directors.

Wes Anderson’s distinct style is seen throughout The French Dispatch. This scene’s visual structure and storytelling set the tone for the rest of the piece. There is also a very informative and witty description of the film’s French setting by Owen Wilson’s character, Herbsaint Sazerac. Additional scenes between the journalist’s articles convey information about the atmosphere of The French Dispatch and help transition between articles. The stories are what drive the three-act film structure of the piece. Each story felt like a film on its own, and when placed together they collectively expand the film’s overall narrative and create an enjoyable piece. Notably, the story beat on the young revolutionary group of students creates an interesting take on America’s sexual revolution of the 1960s. Scenes are enjoyable to watch and overall are a pleasurable experience. The final story follows writer Roebuck Wright as he profiles Nescaffier, a famous chef who crafts specialty dishes for the French police department.Įach article beat is heavily stylized and focuses on intimate visual storytelling rather than visual realism. Second, an interaction between French Dispatch journalist Lucinda Krementz reporting on a French schoolboy named Zeffirelli in search of a youthful revolution. First, a piece on Moses Rosenthaler, a struggling, but brilliant, artist serving a life sentence for murder. Three publications drive the storyline of this film. This fresh direction creates an experience different from other journalistic films. While the premise behind this film is on a newspaper organization, the film’s plot visualizes the journalists’ eccentric written works rather than focusing on the French Dispatch. Wes Anderson based The French Dispatch off his obsession with a real publication, The New Yorker. Full of stylized storytelling and compelling narrative structure, The French Dispatch is a viewing experience unlike other recent film releases. The film’s structure is composed of a variety of stories contained in the final publication of The French Dispatch Magazine.

The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson’s latest contribution to cinema, follows the publication of an American newspaper in a fictional French city.

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