Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Unexpected violence in Wes Anderson father-daughter comedy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Phoenician Scheme
What's the Story?
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME introduces viewers to notorious, insanely wealthy, and proudly crooked businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro). Due to the fact that he has many enemies, there have been many attempts on his life, all of which he has survived. The latest is an airplane crash, which he miraculously walks away from. But, seeing the writing on the wall, Korda summons his only daughter (in a family full of sons): Liesl (Mia Threapleton), who's on the verge of taking her vows and becoming a nun. Korda informs Liesl that she'll be in charge of his entire estate upon his death. Meanwhile, a consortium bent on taking Korda down has found a way to manipulate the stock market, putting Korda's fortune on the line. So he and Liesl—accompanied by tutor/insect expert Bjorn (Michael Cera)—must travel around and visit Korda's four partners in an attempt to cover the loss. Their journey is full of surprises, none more surprising than Korda and Liesl unexpectedly starting to get closer.
Is It Any Good?
There's a lot to like about Wes Anderson's dense, intricate comedy, even if its rapid-fire, ultra-complex plot steamrolls over the movie's humor in the second half. The story of The Phoenician Scheme has the characters traveling all over to broker a quasi-shady business deal, and the details of that deal will blow right over many viewers' heads. The movie's structure allows for several big laughs during the first half, but fewer and fewer as things go on. And there's something slightly troubling about the movie's attempts to humanize a crooked, morally corrupt, deal-making billionaire.
But something magical happens on-screen with del Toro's performance. Anderson's movies aren't generally known for their showstopping acting; great actors generally fade into large ensemble tapestries. To date, only Bill Murray in Rushmore, Gene Hackman in The Royal Tenenbaums, and maybe Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel have really stood out, and now del Toro joins them. (Anderson wrote the role specifically for the actor.) He finds wonderful nuance in this character, and his attempts to connect with Threapleton's Liesl grow ever more layered as the story goes on; the two characters start to feel more and more bonded—and more and more alike. So even as The Phoenician Scheme seems to start to drag, it unexpectedly leaves off as one of Anderson's warmest movies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Phoenician Scheme's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How are smoking and drinking depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
What is the movie's father-daughter relationship like? How does it compare to your own relationships? Do the characters demonstrate positive communication?
What makes the main character, a lifetime criminal, sympathetic? What's appealing about him? How does redemption fit into the equation?
Wes Anderson's movies have an easily recognizable style. What are the advantages of this? The downsides?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 30, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : July 8, 2025
- Cast : Benicio Del Toro , Mia Threapleton , Michael Cera
- Director : Wes Anderson
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Focus Features
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures , Competition , Activism ( Gender equality ) , History , STEM ( Nature ) , Pirates , Travel
- Run time : 101 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violent content, bloody images, some sexual material, nude images, and smoking throughout
- Last updated : September 8, 2025
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