Eddington (Film): Plot, Cast, Controversy & Reviews

Ari Aster has built a reputation for unsettling audiences, but his latest film, Eddington, swaps supernatural horror for something more familiar: the culture wars of 2020. Set in a small New Mexico town during the early pandemic, the satirical neo-Western pits Joaquin Phoenix’s sheriff against Pedro Pascal’s mayor in a standoff that takes aim at everything from conspiracy theories to Black Lives Matter.

Director: Ari Aster · Release Year: 2025 · Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Luke Grimes · Genre: Satirical neo-Western thriller · Setting: May 2020, Eddington, New Mexico

Six key facts summarise the film’s core details:

What is the movie Eddington really about?

At its simplest, Eddington is a neo-Western satirical black comedy written and directed by Ari Aster (The Hollywood Reporter). The story takes place in late May 2020 in the fictional town of Eddington, New Mexico, where Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) faces off against Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). The film broadens its aim to include conspiracy theories, COVID-19 denial, fake news, gun ownership, and Black Lives Matter—all crammed into a few days of escalating civic tension.

The script, also by Aster, uses the pandemic backdrop as a pressure cooker. Vulture notes the film is “unusually sharp in its depiction of culture-war details,” zeroing in on the specific language and rituals of online outrage.

“A multi-target satire that takes aim at conspiracy theories, Covid, fake news, gun ownership, Black Lives Matter, and sundry other causes of contemporary…”

— Lighthouse Cinema description (via The Hollywood Reporter)

The implication: Eddington tries to skewer everything at once, and that ambition is both its selling point and its biggest risk.

Is the film Eddington any good?

Critical reception is mixed. Forbes reports that the Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus praised the cast and Aster’s direction while noting tonal inconsistency. At the time of Forbes’ writing, the film held a 66% critics score based on 143 reviews. ScreenRant pegged it at 68% from 77 reviews, tying with Beau Is Afraid for Aster’s lowest critics score.

Is Eddington a slow movie?

• Several reviews describe the film as “chaotic” and “rambling.” Vanyaland calls it an overlong “2020 political sludge” and criticizes a three-hour runtime feel. Pacing complaints are consistent across negative reviews.

Is the movie Eddington a horror movie?

• No. The Hollywood Reporter classifies it as a satirical neo-Western thriller. Aster’s previous horror hits (Hereditary, Midsommar) set the wrong expectation; this is a tonal departure into culture-war comedy.

What is the Eddington controversy?

The controversy stems from the film’s refusal to pick a side. The Hollywood Reporter points out that because Aster mocks both liberal and conservative postures without landing on a clear ideological stance, the jabs “miss their target.” A Reddit thread titled “Eddington Is Controversial For All the Wrong Reasons” (Reddit) captures the frustration of audiences who feel the satire is aimless.

Is Eddington a woke film?

• The term “woke” has been used by some online commenters, but professional critics frame it differently: the film is seen as a “lethally self-satisfied COVID satire” (ScreenRant) that tries to critique both sides, angering viewers from across the political spectrum rather than pleasing one.

Is Eddington worth seeing?

That depends on your tolerance for messy, provocative satire. The film stars high-profile actors—Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler (Vulture)—who all commit fully to Aster’s vision. But The Hollywood Reporter warns that the roles are “largely unappealing,” making it hard to root for anyone.

For viewers who enjoy films that stir debate and experiment with form, Eddington may be a fascinating watch. For those seeking a tight, focused satire, it will likely feel like a three-hour riff on 2020 Twitter.

The trade-off: strong performances and a few sharp moments versus a bloated, directionless script.

Why did Eddington flop?

Exact box-office figures are not publicly available, but the question itself signals underperformance. The reasons likely compound: the controversy turned off casual viewers, the 66–68% Rotten Tomatoes score (tied for Aster’s worst, per ScreenRant) hurt word of mouth, and the niche appeal of a COVID-era satire limited its mainstream draw. Vulture captured the dynamic: the film is so embedded in 2020 culture-war details that it may feel dated even by its 2025 release.

Timeline: Key moments surrounding Eddington

Three events mark the film’s journey from concept to controversy:

The pattern: a film conceived during a polarized moment, released into an equally divided critical environment, and quickly labeled a misfire.

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

The research gives us solid ground on some aspects and open questions on others.

Key voices on Eddington

“Eddington Is Controversial For All the Wrong Reasons”

— Reddit thread title (Reddit)

“The film’s avoidance of a definitive political stance causes its jabs to miss their target.”

— The Hollywood Reporter

Summary

Eddington is Ari Aster’s most divisive film—a sprawling neo-Western satire that tries to lampoon the entire culture war of 2020 and ends up pleasing almost nobody. For viewers in the US who lived through that moment, the film may feel either too on-the-nose or too smug. The clear recommendation: if you want a tight story with clear stakes, skip it. If you enjoy watching talented actors wrestle with messy material that sparks debate, it’s worth a look. For Ari Aster completists, it’s essential viewing—but with low expectations. Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal deliver committed performances, though even their talent cannot salvage a script that refuses to commit to a single argument.

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