Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro) is about to complete the most impossible business scheme ever conceived: The Phoenician Scheme. But he has to survive the many assassination attempts against him, the governments trying to cripple his business empire and the moral lessons of his daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton). 

The Phoenician Scheme is another Wes Anderson confection that will no doubt delight his fans in equal measure as it frustrates his detractors. Yes, Wes Anderson has made another film that is uniquely idiosyncratically Wes Anderson. But almost all film makers find a specific oeuvre and identity and make it their own. If you are a fan you will be in for another delight, so let’s discuss just where this fits with his other works. 

Korda is a corrupt businessman and entrepreneur who is on the brink of completing multiple deals that will result in him owning all infrastructure within the fictional region of Phoenicia. Korda is rich beyond his means and as selfish and single minded as they come, but after surviving yet another assassination attempt he decides to summon his only daughter of ten children to become his sole heir. After all, he needs some continuity for his empire. But Liesl is preparing to become a nun and has some serious moral opinions about her father’s plans. As they bond, their unique mindsets will begin to rub off on each other. For anyone familiar with The Royal Tenenbaums consider the character of Royal but dialled up to eleven! 

Following Korda around at all times is his tutor Bjorn (Michael Cera). An expert in bugs who falls madly in love with Liesl almost from the moment he meets her. Ordered around by Korda he finds himself acting as a personal assistant as well as a tutor whilst he meekly tries to woo Liesl and meet Korda’s demands. Again for those familiar think of the Lobby Boy in The Grand Budapest Hotel. 

A spanner is further thrown into Korda’s plans when spies working for the U.S. Government manipulate the stocks of rivets making his scheme less profitable. So Korda sets out to meet up with all of his investors in turn to persuade them to put in more of their own money. The result is a linear set of meetings between Korda, Liesl and Bjorn and their investors. It is in this seemingly complex but actually simple landscape that Anderson can work his magic as a stream of Anderson regulars  can swoop in for small cameo roles of quirky individuals. 

The outcome is a splendidly funny caper movie filled with quirky characters and absurd situations. 

There is a lot to love here for Anderson fans. As usual every single frame is perfectly structured and filled to the brim with detailed production design. The opening credits are a Birds Eye view of Korda in the bath as various nurses attend him, the writing fitting perfectly with the flooring. There are underground tunnels featuring perfectly aligned railroad and jungles with perfectly positioned foliage. And as with a number of his films luggage is important aesthetically speaking. And the world building of the fictional Phoenicia is lovely and reminiscent of that in The Grand Budapest Hotel. 

The two big newcomers to Anderson’s troupe are Michael Cera and Mia Threapleton and both fit in beautifully. Cera has great fun with his Scandinavian accent and gets to use his awkward persona to perfection. Whilst Threapleton, daughter of Kate Winslet, plays deadpan perfectly. In fact their blend of accents with Del Toro provided a lot of fun to me in general as they so starkly bounced off of each other. 

Elsewhere Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston have possibly the best scene playing basketball, Riz Ahmed plays a prince, Richard Ayoade plays a revolutionary, Benedict Cumberbatch plays an evil uncle complete with insane facial hair and contact lenses and Bill Murray plays God. What more could you want? 

The result is joyful and so much fun.