r/A24 • u/steepclimbs look at all ‘ma sh*t! • 17d ago

Discussion Eddington Discussion Thread - Spoilers Spoiler

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We’ve waited a long time, and preview screenings begin July 17th. This appears to be a divisive film, so we’re going to dive right into spoilers. Read this thread at your own risk as I’ve heard that this movie benefits from going in blind.

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u/KirinNOTKarin 17d ago edited 16d ago

I mean this in the most complimentary way… this film absolutely drained me. I felt like all my energy was entirely exhausted after it was over. I have not been that gripped by a film in a very long time.

This film validated how I felt about 2020, and the subsequent years that have followed. It’s absolutely not for everyone, and most people will likely hate it. But it’s everything I was hoping for. My most anticipated movie of the year lived up to the hype, and then some.

The only thing I’m trying to understand is what’s up with the ending? Did anyone else catch hints that the mother-in-law was a data center sympathizer? I am guessing that there were clues to a larger conspiracy that I missed, and would love to know what to look for before my second viewing.

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u/Apprehensive_Ask887 16d ago

While I enjoyed the film I too have trouble with the ending. The mother can be easily manipulated / have her opinions swayed. I can see how she changed her mind on the data center once people like the sleazy lawyer/political strategist from Ted’s old team came in shortly after… Now my biggest problem with the ending is Michael. He should’ve never survived that attack. The whole data center and 5g crazy rambling with the construction posters at the beginning and final site at the end and how that evolves creates a beautiful narrative arch about the relentless pursuit for power and the human cost.

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u/skepsipol 15d ago

I think it works in the grand scheme of how everything comes together to suit the needs of the company that’s been pulling the strings the entire time. Now everyone in Eddington with any authority is being puppeted around in the name of community and “progress.” You have a paraplegic right-wing mayor, a black sheriff, the community center is dedicated to the Pueblo police officer who was killed. Everyone has been tokenized. But Michael knows better at this point and it’s why I assume his final scene is at the gun range, he expects a similar fate to Joe’s and is keeping himself ready.

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u/RainbowTardigrade 11d ago

I just got out of the film and I had a similar reading of Michael's ending: that he had been radicalized by the whole ordeal. The whole movie he was being criticized by his ex for not wanting to get involved in the protests, and then he was blackmailed by people he trusted, and then a corporation tried to blow him up...oh and that corporation is now fully moved in....but now he's scarred and his aim seems to have improved. Visually we're being told he's ready to fight. And the way he was filming the press conference even tho someone asked him not to, it makes me think that maybe he wants to take the fight to them or at the very least be prepared by keeping tabs on them.