Eddington (2025) Movie: Joaquin Phoenix’s Latest Western Divides Critics and Audiences

Eddington puts together a stellar lineup with Joaquin Phoenix playing a tough sheriff, Pedro Pascal as the town mayor, plus Emma Stone and Austin Butler in key roles. Ari Aster, the mastermind behind creepy hits, takes on a 2025 Western that digs into the mess COVID-19 created in a small New Mexico town called Eddington.

The movie takes us back to May 2020, when a heated clash between Phoenix’s lawman and Pascal’s politician sets the whole community on fire. This 2 hours 29 minutes R-rated film shows Aster stepping away from horror movies while keeping his bold, in-your-face storytelling.

Story That Hits Close to Home

Eddington shows how the pandemic broke America’s brain, using this small town as a perfect example of what happened everywhere. The story unfolds during those crazy COVID days when mask fights and wild theories tore communities apart like never before.

Aster doesn’t pretend to have all the answers about why people went nuts during 2020. Instead, he holds up a mirror to our own messy experiences from those dark months, making us face uncomfortable truths about ourselves.

Acting That Delivers

Joaquin Phoenix once again proves why he’s one of our best actors, playing a sheriff caught between doing his job and surviving public anger. His performance captures what it felt like for cops during those intense months when everyone questioned authority.

Pedro Pascal matches Phoenix’s energy perfectly as the mayor, showing how leaders struggled with impossible choices. Emma Stone and Austin Butler round out the main group, backed by solid work from Deirdre O’Connell and Micheal Ward who make the town feel real.

Aster’s Visual Magic

Ari Aster brings his signature style to Western territory, mixing modern problems with classic American themes. After mastering horror with films like Hereditary, he uses those same skills to create tension in wide-open spaces.

The camera work captures New Mexico’s beautiful but harsh landscape while zooming in on people’s personal battles. Aster keeps that uncomfortable feeling he’s famous for, blending dark laughs with serious moments that stick with you long after.

Mixed Reviews Tell the Story

Rotten Tomatoes gives it 70% from critics, saying it has great acting and bold direction but tonal problems that leave viewers hanging. IMDb users rate it 6.7 out of 10, showing people can’t quite agree on what to think.

Some reviewers call it a hollow challenge to audiences while others praise how it tackles tough social issues. The split reactions probably show the film working exactly as Aster intended – getting people talking and arguing.

What Really Works

The Phoenix-Pascal showdown drives everything forward with believable conflict that feels ripped from real headlines. Their battle represents bigger fights happening across America, making personal drama feel universal and important.

I loved how the Western setting gives new life to old American stories about justice, community, and doing what’s right. When those classic themes meet pandemic chaos, the results feel both familiar and shocking.

Where It Stumbles

The biggest complaint involves unclear tone that leaves viewers guessing what Aster really wants to say. At almost two and a half hours, the movie sometimes feels longer than necessary without earning every minute.

The 2020 themes sometimes feel surface-level despite all that runtime. The mix of comedy and drama doesn’t always work smoothly, creating moments where you’re not sure how to react or what the film wants from you.

Rating: 3.5/5