The A24 logo has become a marker indicating that whatever you’re about to watch will more than likely be surreal, unexpected, clever, or otherwise thought-provoking, and executed at a high level, too. The early feedback for Eddington, A24’s latest, is promising: After its screening at Cannes in May, the film received a standing ovation that lasted nearly seven minutes and moved star Joaquin Phoenix to tears (as Deadline notes).

The film also serves as a reunion for Phoenix and writer/director Ari Aster, as they previously worked together on Beau Is Afraid. Aster has built up a rock-solid filmography beyond that and Eddington in just the past few years, with a fledgling library that also includes Hereditary and Midsommar.

As Eddington‘s wide theatrical release nears, read on to learn everything you need to know about the movie before you see it.

Plot

The A24 website briefly describes the plot: “In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.”

Variety’s review of the movie elaborates that it addresses tensions between people of differing opinions during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that’s not the only parallel to real life, as the characters also contend with the George Floyd murder.

Cast

The movie has attracted quite the cast, led by heavy hitters like Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward, Austin Butler, and Emma Stone.

In a New York Times interview, Aster noted of the film’s characters and narrative, “I see the film being about a bunch of people who are very isolated, who are unable to see the bigger world outside themselves. They only see the small world they believe in, and it’s about what happens when those people start colliding with each other, and how that leads to increasingly intense convictions. We end up amplifying each other’s paranoia and fear because there’s nothing in the ether to hold us together anymore, so it’s just me trying to look at it without judging any of these characters.”

Butler also previously teased in a Hollywood Reporter interview, “I don’t want to give much away as far as the story and character go, but it was a wild adventure that I got to go on. I got to play a character who’s very different from anything that I’ve done.”

Release Date

The film is set to hit theaters on July 18, following its Cannes debut on May 16.

Trailer

Check out the Eddington trailer and first look below.