We’re approaching the 30th anniversary of Wes Anderson starting his movie directing career. In this time, he released 13 feature films, which is a lot for an auteur.
More impressively, his style is so unique and recognisable that it is effectively its own genre. No one does it like him, and yet each of his films is linked by that distinctive Wes Anderson style. The symmetry of his shot composition and the silliness of his stories are his main calling cards.
The Wes Anderson aesthetic is easy to parody and even dismiss as repetitive. But each movie offers something fresh, new, and often joyful. The stilted dialogue, awkward characters, and physical gags get balanced by emotion and meaning.
If you’ve never ‘got’ Wes Anderson, or never seen one of his films, don’t worry. Once you understand what he does so well, and why, you’ll soon be an admirer. Stay put while we pull back the curtain on Hollywood’s quirkiest hit-maker.
A Balancing Act
The use of symmetry in Wes Anderson’s style comes in a few flavors. The first couple are obvious, the others less so.
Shot Composition and Framing
These two overlap, but are worth talking about individually. Anderson’s preference is to compose shots symmetrically. That means having elements within the shot, from the scenery and props to the actors themselves, perfectly balanced.
If there’s only one actor onscreen, they will appear in the center. If he can mirror other objects, like doorways or windows, on either side of the frame, he’ll do it. Even the lighting tends to be uniform.
Not every shot is composed completely symmetrically, of course. But even asymmetrical shots will have some balance if you study them closely.
The framing of each shot brings the composition together. Flat, fixed camera angles emphasize the precisely arranged elements in the background and foreground. It makes scenes look almost two-dimensional. Then, when the camera does move, we get brief moments of depth and asymmetry, before order returns.
The Wes Anderson aesthetic makes many of his movies feel like they are taking place in a doll’s house. Actors exist in a handmade world, as cardboard cutouts on a symmetrical stage. This is often actually true, with miniatures used liberally. His two stop-motion movies, Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) and Isle of Dogs (2018), benefit from this in reverse. What makes humans and full-sized sets seem small makes actual miniatures larger-than-life.
Editing
Editing is the heartbeat of cinema. Wes Anderson also applies his eye for symmetry here. When two characters are having a conversation, he uses the tried and tested shot reverse shot approach to editing. Most directors combine this with framing techniques, like the rule of thirds, to engage viewers. Since Anderson’s subjects will be usually be in the center of the frame, he has different options available to him.
Here, in The French Dispatch (2021), we understand the relationship between two characters, Julian and Moses, from the shot composition, framing, and editing. Even what they are wearing and the way they are sitting tells us something. The dialogue is almost secondary.
Over longer sequences, shot patterns repeat to provide more editing symmetry. We’ll see different characters performing similar actions against subtly different backdrops. This can draw them together, or push them apart.
You’ll find this use of symmetrical, pattern-following editing in most Anderson movies, but Moonrise Kingdom (2012) features it prominently. This scene is a prime example:
The last point to make about his editing is how it uses rhythm in a symmetrical way. Shots of identical lengths often follow one another and match the back-and-forth style of the dialogue. Characters use words like tennis players knocking a ball to one another. All these elements come together in this scene from The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014):
Color
Color is another central part of the Wes Anderson style of filmmaking. It comes from his obsession with symmetry, and also adds to the handmade look of his films.
The color palette of each film is deliberately limited. This makes the look more cohesive, even if this happens subliminally.
The sun-soaked, faded oranges, saturated blues, and softer pastel hues of Asteroid City (2023) link every frame. It’s satisfying to look at, enhances the atmosphere, and changes how we see each character.
Art That’s Funny
Aside from symmetry, Wes Anderson’s style is rooted in humor. This can be a surprise to people who’ve only seen snippets of his work. With so much artistic flair, you might assume he’s only interested in serious messages. While there are themes of love, divorce, death, and failure, it’s the jokes that dominate.
The Darjeeling Limited (2007) exemplifies this trait. It’s about three brothers dealing with the death of their father by traveling across India together. They argue over who was the favorite, hurtful words are said, and things turn violent. But while there’s meaning and emotion underneath the surface, the conflict plays out as a farce:
Moments of silliness soften the most intense scenes. Anderson presents a suicide attempt in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) quite graphically. But, in the last moments of the montage, there’s a gag to burst the tension:
It’s not that he can’t include dramatic moments without humor. He’s just a director who knows that this is true to life. We laugh in a crisis. Often, it’s the only way to cope.
Essential Wes Anderson Movies
It’s not a big ask to watch all 13 of Anderson’s films. But if you’re looking for a starting point, these are the ones you need to see:
Rushmore (1998)
Anderson’s second film is an excellent introduction to what he’s about and the template for the rest of his career. It stars Jason Schwartzman as a boy whose place at a prestigious school is in jeopardy. He’s an old soul who befriends Bill Murray’s lonely tycoon. Their odd couple relationship gets derailed when they both fall for one of the teachers, played by Olivia Williams.
Anderson is still finding his feet from a stylistic point of view. What clicks is the humor, no doubt thanks to the fact that Owen Wilson co-wrote it.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
All of the Wes Anderson aesthetic tropes covered earlier come together in this dark comedy. A family of early overachievers struggles with the disappointments of adulthood. Their father toys with their affections, and their differences threaten to drive them apart. The symmetry of the shot composition, the rhythm of the editing, and the use of color leave a big impression.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
A full-blown stop-motion animation based on a classic children’s novel, Fantastic Mr. Fox sees Anderson firing on all creative cylinders. George Clooney voices the furry red protagonist, as he and his animal pals try to avoid death by farmer. While it’s a family-friendly caper, it deals with deep themes, and so arguably suits adult audiences more than kids.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
This movie has it all. The cast is stacked, the style is oh-so Anderson, the jokes come thick and fast, and the plot is poignant. A hotel concierge and his apprentice leave the comfort of their resort when facing a false murder charge. They embark on an adventure that involves a priceless painting, a vengeful family, and a pursuit by fascists. It won numerous awards, was also a box office hit, and remains a career high watermark.
Asteroid City (2023)
Some critics were lukewarm on Asteroid City when it first released. That’s a pity, as it manages to be a triumph of style and entertainment. Set in the 50s, it involves UFOs, weapons testing, a play within a TV documentary within a movie, and love. It looks great, is gag-heavy, and has real heart. You couldn’t ask for much more from Anderson.
The Tireless Auteur
Hopefully, you’ve got the Wes Anderson bug from reading about what makes his movies special. They offer something for every audience member, whether you want to zone out and laugh or lean in and analyze.
Most impressively, he’s not slowing down. There’s a new Wes Anderson project every two or three years, with The Phoenician Scheme recently arriving at Cannes. If the Wes Anderson style is a template, then it means we get more from him. And it’s better for a great director to be productive, and sometimes miss the mark, than rarely release anything.
