The Weirdest Scene in This New Movie Features Katy Perry

Eddington is one hell of a ride. Ari Aster’s film follows Sheriff Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) during the peak of COVID in 2020, in the fictional town of Eddington, New Mexico. Joe’s in a loveless marriage, and lives with his wife and mother-in-law, who quite literally never stops spouting conspiracy theories. Sick of the mask mandates in town, Joe decides to run for Mayor against left-wing incumbent Ted (Pedro Pascal), and the two form a bitter rivalry.

(Spoilers for Eddington ahead!)

Things hit the point of no return when Joe receives a noise complaint for Ted’s campaign party, and descends upon the party to deal with it. It results in a confrontation between Joe and Ted that leads to a shocking slap—one that would make Will Smith gasp.

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It’s one of the most intense moments of Eddington, and it’s punctuated by a song you’d never expect to hear in an Aster film: Katy Perry’s “Firework.” It might seem like a baffling choice, but when you break it down, no song could fit the moment better.

Now, Ted has every reason to be furious with Joe, and frankly, slapping him across the face is a pretty measured reaction. Let’s recap.

One, Joe began a campaign for Mayor largely as a personal vendetta against Ted, who he perceives to be a man who took advantage of his wife Louise (Emma Stone) before they were married. Two, he posted a video on social media accusing Ted of raping Louise—something she debunks almost immediately in a video of her own, deflating Joe’s campaign and making Joe look extremely foolish in the process. Three, he’s been repeatedly confronting and intimidating Ted’s son Eric (Matt Gomez Hidaka). That’s more than enough for anyone to snap.

Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in A24's 'Eddington.' / Ari Aster/A24

But that’s not all. Joe has come to Ted’s campaign party to stop the music.

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We follow Joe as he wades through the guests of the party, all looking at him in disgust. As he walks, the thunderous bass of “Firework” is booming, and Perry’s triumphant chorus is almost deafening.

As he makes his way to the speaker. He doesn’t make any attempt to communicate with Ted, walking right past him, turning the speaker off—which, of course, is blasting Katy Perry’s “Firework” at full volume. And switching off “Firework” was the last straw for Ted.

That may sound like a joke, but Ted is exactly the kind of person who would passionately identify with “Firework.” I don’t know if Ted has ever felt like a plastic bag drifting through the wind, wanting to start again. But I believe wholeheartedly that Ted empathizes enormously with those who may have felt that way.

Ted is a unifier, a man who works relentlessly for the good of the town of Eddington and anyone who may feel like they don’t belong. He loves everyone. He’s been the Mayor for some time and cares about his city. “Firework” speaks deeply to him. He’s a man without cynicism and believes that every person is capable of greatness.

To Joe, “Firework” is empty, generic trash, full of hollow declarations and empty promises, symbolic of the very government he’s trying to defeat when he becomes mayor.

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A song like “Firework” is made for people like Ted. He’s not thinking about the surface levels—who the hell has sat down and thought “I feel like a plastic bag right now”? Nobody. But “Firework” is a self-empowerment anthem all about embracing your differences and being true to yourself. It’s about fighting back against those feelings of fragility—and during COVID, everyone was feeling especially fragile.

For Ted, “Firework” is a celebration of the American spirit, a song that preaches to love your life and “light up the night like the Fourth of July.” “Firework” is at the heart of Joe and Ted’s division, two people who see the world and the direction their town is heading in drastically different ways.

When Joe whisks past Ted and turns off “Firework,” he’s not just stopping any old song. He’s shutting down everything that Ted stands for, and he’s finally had enough.

Continuing the unbroken tracking shot, Joe walks back to his truck after turning the music off. But before he gets to his vehicle, “Firework” has come on just as loud as it was before. Joe turns around and heads directly to Ted, screaming “Turn the noise down!” right in his face.

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Ted doesn’t dignify Joe’s outburst with a verbal response. Instead, his peaceful facade crumbles as he slaps Joe across the face. And this is no light, playful smack. This is a slap laced with fury. Ted wanted to hurt Joe, and that’s what he does. Joe is horrified, silenced. His eyes burst with agony, looking like a wounded child. Before he has the chance to compose himself, Ted slaps him again. Utterly defeated, Joe stumbles out of the campaign party.

As Joe leaves, you can feel the tension thick in the air. And what can you hear? The sweet, poppy beats of “Firework” are so loud they practically blast through the screen. It’s a moment that ultimately sends Joe and Eddington, off the deep end; a confirmation that this is a man who has nothing to lose in a world he no longer understands. Leave it to Katy Perry to scar someone forever.