Director Ali Aster’s “Eddington” Sparks Debate

Ali Aster’s new film “Eddington” has stirred up quite a conversation, especially considering it launched amidst the fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.

The protagonist, Joe Cross, is a well-meaning sheriff at a small desert outpost in Eddington, New Mexico, wrestling with challenges that seem to mount daily.

In Aster’s body of work, there’s a recurring theme: innocent individuals battling against overwhelming forces, which often appear as demons, or perhaps metaphorical ones.

Dealing with personal turmoil, including a psychologically fragile wife played by Emma Stone and an overbearing mother-in-law, Cross finds himself in a precarious position. On top of family drama, he’s also tasked with maintaining order amid BLM protests, all while confronting the divisive climate of mask mandates and social distancing. His attempts at personal downtime are overshadowed by constant societal chaos.

A Clash of Personalities

Cross is in direct conflict with Mayor Ted Garcia, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, who embodies a slippery form of media-savvy politics that seems somewhat disingenuous. Sometimes, watching the film evokes laughter from audiences tired of the more traditionally virtuous characters and their idealistic offspring. One particularly amusing moment occurs when Cross’s father, who had just been criticized by his son regarding the “white abolition,” is nowhere to be found.

It’s hard to believe that just a few years prior, audience reactions were quite different.

The Dilemma of Choice

With the benefit of hindsight in 2025, Cross emerges as perhaps the most ordinary character in a town full of eccentricities. His character can be seen as a critique of the liberal illusions that have been persistent in American society.

But Aster has a penchant for surprises. As the narrative unfolds, our heroes make increasingly questionable decisions, leading us from ignorance to confrontation with moral ambiguity. It’s almost as if Aster wants to not just provoke thought but to induce a sense of embarrassment.

Pascal’s character, ostensibly the antagonist, reveals a more insidious foe hidden in the shadows. These unseen technological overlords reflect the wild imaginations of both the far right and left online. They employ cunning tactics, such as staging faux attacks, to manipulate public opinion and deflect legitimate concerns.

Dissecting the Message

Some critics suggest that the core message of the film is the divide between “them” and “us,” positioning a faceless cabal as the ultimate villain. They argue that insightful viewers should heed this warning.

While I consider myself one of those insightful viewers, I find the message curious. It might resonate more deeply in real life than in Hollywood. Ultimately, it seems Aster’s vision, relevant to audiences on both ends of the political spectrum, conveys one grim takeaway: you can’t truly emerge victorious.

In his previous works—”Hereditary,” “Midsommar,” and “The Genetic Opera”—Aster continually highlights the plight of well-meaning individuals facing insurmountable struggles. Here in “Eddington,” the backdrop of Covid becomes the instrument of torment. So, one can’t help but wonder—who stands to gain from such a bleak outlook?

Definitely not the audience. Joe Cross and the people of Eddington appear trapped in their circumstances. Honestly, none of us would want to live in Aster’s crafted world—perhaps the takeaway is that it’s not even worth a visit.