2020 was a pivotal moment in American history. We disappeared into our homes and came out a divided nation. That’s the backdrop for Eddington. Ari Aster, the writer/director best known for horror movies like Hereditary, at first seems like an unusual voice to contribute to the discussion. But maybe only a master of horror can get to the roots of the real-life horror movie we’re living through in 2025.
Joaquin Phoenix plays Joe, a sheriff of the fictional town of Eddington. Joe is a lone man fighting against a world spinning increasingly out of his control. He has problems in his marriage (his wife is played by Emma Stone). He can’t stand the Covid restrictions because his asthma makes masks hard to breathe in. And he’s frequently at odds with the liberal mayor of the town, Ted (Pedro Pascal). So Joe decides to take matters into his own hands by running for mayor himself.
Eddington doesn’t fit neatly in any particular genre. Western? Dark comedy? Thriller? Ari Aster certainly brings the same suspense and dread we’ve come to expect from his horror roots. In fact, Eddington may just be a horror movie in its own right, made all the more frightening by the fact that it’s real.
Join Jon and Tim as they discuss podcasting at night, the best Brewers season ever, Pedro Pascal in everything, the hell of polygamy, why The Great is great, old movie theaters, Emma Stone’s quirky choices, the best horror movie of the 2000’s, Ari Aster’s filmography, the 2020 inflection point, social media algorithms, how to participate in democracy, filling the void in your heart with power, the coalition of people who have given up on planet earth, and how to love your neighbor in a country split in two.
