Jumping into the top ten movies watched on HBO Max for November is the Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal-led “Eddington.” It’s a sort of neo-Western thriller, with prescient political commentary and some excellent comedic timing about a small town local election, and subsequent battle, between the town’s sheriff and current mayor. It also takes place during the 2020 COVID-19 shutdowns as a sort of all-encompassing social commentary on modern life. Even if you have no desire to delve into some of the underlying themes, it’s an entertaining film that’s gotten some fairly positive reviews.
Eddington currently has a 68% critics review rating and 65% user rating, and it’s currently listed as one of the most popular movies to watch at home on Rotten Tomatoes — in spot number ten, behind “Weapons,” and “Good Fortune.” The rest of the stellar cast includes Luke Grimes, Austin Butler, Deirdre O’Connell, Clifton Collins Jr., and Emma Stone.
Of course, it’s directed, written, and produced by Ari Aster, who is known for some interesting films like “Hereditary,” “Midsommar,” and “Beau Is Afraid.” Right there, you can kind of get an idea for how its quirky yet slightly-nauseating but also captivating scenes might play out, especially if you’ve watched any of those Aster films. Near its conclusion, it draws some parallels to “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western “Wind River,” particularly a penultimate gunfight or two.
What is Eddington about?
As noted, taking place during the 2020 COVID-19 shutdowns in a small southwestern town of Eddington, New Mexico, we see a tense relationship build between the town’s sheriff, Joe Cross played by Joaquin Phoenix, and Mayor Ted Garcia, played by Pedro Pascal. Mayor Garcia locks the town down and enforces mask mandates, which the sheriff vehemently disagrees with. We meet some of the other characters, like Joe’s emotionally unstable wife, Louise (the ever-whimsical Emma Stone), and his mother in law Dawn, played masterfully by Deirdre O’Connell. Eventually, Joe Cross decides to run against the current mayor in an upcoming election. He recruits his fellow officers to help, and the movie is off to the races from there.
It’s a tale of treachery, drama, political intrigue and, spoiler warning, murder. With the intent not to spoil anything further, the best thing to say is that it’s worth a watch, if only to see Joaquin Phoenix descend into an all-too-familiar bout of madness. The rest of the cast serve the plot well, especially Austin Butler with a cult-like leader appearance who can really make your blood boil.
If you’re looking for another older political thriller to watch, the must-see Christopher Walken sci-fi movie based on a Stephen King classic is a great choice. You might also consider Sebastian Stan’s A24 crime thriller “Sharper” if you have an Apple TV+ subscription.
