Asteroid City

Synopsis

Framed as a television show about a documentary, telling the story of how a play was written, this playful meta-textual comedy is also a visual treat. The primary story concerns a number of gifted young scientists and their families who descend on the fictional desert town of Asteroid City for the annual Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention. War photojournalist Augie Steenbeck is there to support his son Woodrow but has yet to tell him, or his three daughters, about the recent death of their mother. Meanwhile, Midge Campbell, a famous but downtrodden actress, and her daughter Dinah are staying in the house opposite; over time, Augie and Midge form a bond over their despair and begin to fall in love. However, when the sudden, inexplicable appearance of a UFO occurs above the town, Asteroid City is placed into military quarantine, throwing everyone’s best laid plans into jeopardy. Director Wes Anderson fuses his trademark visual style with science fiction and a beguiling comedic structure to weave a deceptively simple story of grief, family and the invisible ties that bring strangers together.