Wes Anderson’s new star-studded film The French Dispatch has garnered mostly positive reviews since its release on October 24, 2021. The movie essentially functions as a four-part anthology revolving around the titular newspaper publication, boasting one of the most stellar collections of A-list acting talent ever recorded in one project.
Yet, at just 108 minutes, some of the biggest names in the tale only appear on screen for a brief time, leaving the best characters to carry the weight of the plot and drive the story forward. With Anderson’s trademark whimsy, the most memorable characters poignantly mix humor and drama in the most unforgettable ways.
Arthur Howitzer Jr.
While a shoutout should be given to Anjelica Huston as the soothingly omniscient Narrator, long-time Wes Anderson collaborator Bill Murray steals the show in his brief but commanding role as Arthur Howitzer Jr., current editor of The French Dispatch publication. In addition to expressing his dry and droll sense of humor, Murray’s gravitas sets the tone for the entire film.
When Howitzer passes away early on, it’s his last will and testament that drives the entire plot of the story, necessitating the republished news stories that serve as the anthological chapters of the film. Based on the co-founder of The New Yorker Harold Ross, Howitzer is stern yet silly at once. Without his presence, there would be no newspaper nor movie to speak of.
Herbsaint Sazerac
Anderson’s longtime friend Owen Wilson plays The French Dispatch travel writer Herbsaint Sazerac, an eccentric scribe based on The New Yorker‘s Joseph Mitchell. Once Howitzer Jr. passes, the first story ordered for recirculation is Sazerac’s cycling tour of the city of Ennui.
The travelogue is meant to chronicle the changes made to the town over time, with Sazerac giving a hilarious spiel about the various local customs. With more screen time than most characters, Wilson has a preternatural understanding of Anderson’s quirky sense of humor dating back to Bottle Rocket, both of their screen debuts.
J.K.L. Berenson
With a stunning burnt orange hairdo and matching dress, the preposterously profligate J.K.L. Berenson (Tilda Swinton) is easily one of the standout characters in the film. Author of the next recirculated news piece, “The Concrete Masterpiece,” Berenson presents the article with style and self-absorbed panache, with Swinton having a ball playing the over-the-top character. Since partnering with Anderson, Swinton continues to add to her best movies.
Aside from writing the centerpiece article of the film, which makes the character essential to the plot, Berenson’s sheer sophistication and haute couture fashion sense remind viewers what a great time it was to be alive in France during the mid-20th-century.
Moses Rosenthaler
The subject of Berenson’s piece “The Corporate Masterpiece” is a convicted felon named Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio Del Toro in a hysterically dead-pan performance), a talented artist accused of murder. Moses refuses to sell an abstract painting, but when he finally gives in, his life as a convicted killer suddenly turns into that of a well-respected artist in high demand.
Beyond having one of the more substantial storylines, Moses is unexpectedly soulful and unpredictably violent at once, giving him an off-beat humorous quality that only Anderson can write so well. Del Toro shows his underused comedic chops, giving one of the most pleasantly surprising turns in the film.
Simone
The subject of Moses’ highly sought-after abstract nude portrait is Simone (Léa Seydoux), a conflicted French prison guard who begins an affair with the troubled artist. Simone is tough and tender at once, serving as Moses’ artistic muse while also attempting to maintain her loyalties inside the prison.
In addition to lending a Francophilic authenticity as one of the few genuinely French actors in the film, Simone also directly affects Moses’ art after becomes world-famous. Once she leaves his side, Moses struggles deeply to find inspiration, leading to a three-year project that ultimately leads to his release from prison.
Julien Cadazio
Based on the controversial British art dealer Lord Duveen, Julien Cadazio (Adrien Brody) is a hilariously obstinate gent who will not take no for an answer when propositioning Moses for his abstract nude. After aggressively insisting his way to purchasing the piece, Julien returns years later and gets into a ridiculous physical tussle with Moses after demanding her create more paintings.
In his fourth movie collaboration with Anderson to date, Adrien Brody is another experienced alum who knows how to mine the laughs from an overly serious character who plays the comedy with a straight face. Julien is absurdly aggressive yet austere, which makes him easy to laugh at.
Lucinda Krementz
Once “The Corporate Masterpiece” gives way to the next vignette, “Revisions of a Manifesto,” Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand) storms in and immediately makes her lasting presence known. The strong-willed, no-nonsense reporter specializes in student revolutionaries, leading to her profile on the eccentric Zeffirelli (Timothée Chalamet).
Lucinda is an important character who serves as a reminder about the need for journalistic integrity. While Lucinda tries to maintain her professionalism, human nature intercedes and she ends up having an affair with her subject while also helping him write his manifesto. At the very least, Lucinda’s story arc is a cautionary tale that gives dramatic weight to the story.
Zeffirelli
As the leader of the student revolution in France, Zeffirelli creates his own supercilious fashion sense and stylish countenance. The mustachioed, cigarell0-smoking poet romantically vacillates between his girlfriend Juliette (Lyna Khoudri) and Lucinda, yet shows a thin skin when his manifesto is criticized. All in all, it’s one of Chalamet’s most likable characters to date.
Easily wounded by minor slights, Zeffirelli’s manifesto becomes the focal point of the vignette, making his arc far more substantial than most characters. In a poignant statement on the increased value of deceased artists, Zeffirelli becomes far more famous in death than in life for his time leading a revolution.
Roebuck Wright
The final chapter of The French Dispatch includes “The Private Dining Room of the Police Officer,” written by the esteemed food journalist Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright). Told in retrospect during a TV interview, Roebuck recounts his own article with candid hilarity and straight-faced amusement.
Based on the real-life writers James Baldwin and A.J. Liebling, the seriousness of Roebuck mixed with the outlandish absurdity of his story makes the character extremely funny. Roebuck is all business, but his wildly silly tale about a kidnapped policeman’s son undercuts his sober demeanor and turns the air of respect and honor into one big farce.
Lt. Nescaffer
The MVP of The French Dispatch arguably goes to Stephen Park as Lt. Nescaffer, a famous chef by day and a policeman by night (and vice versa) who goes to tremendous lengths to find the Police Commissaire’s missing son. Anyone who remembers Park from Fargo and In Living Color knows how funny a performer and what a terrific actor Park can be.
The dual profession of being a culinary artist and law enforcer is partially what makes Nescaffer so entertaining. However, it’s the way in which he hilariously and hearteningly manages to save the kidnapped child that gives Nescaffer such a significant impact on the film.
