Another thriller that knows what politics does to people and society.
Entertainment, religion, and politics are all part of an ongoing issue, regarding different opinions and how people handle them. I remember when Elijah Wood criticized Variety for making a Worst of 2022 and calling these lists “mean-spirited.” And I responded to the issue saying: everyone has their own opinion. I’m no religious fanatic, but I do have faith and try to overcome whatever cynicism life throws at me. And as for politics, due to my autistic condition, I can barely tell the difference between liberals and conservatives, but I do know when things go too far. And I have two loved ones that I try to tell to avoid Fox News for the sake of their emotions.
If you’re offended by my introduction, I’m sorry, but this is our reality. And at the very least, I try to respect people’s opinions and beliefs. And I’m not giving out any bad ideas that might affect our future, so don’t look at me.
The reason for my intro is based the new independent star-studded thriller “Anniversary” takes place in America and deals with so many political issues, they begin to tear a family apart. The kind of political issues I’m describing may hint fascism and anti-democracy, as this is a vision of a terrible future.
We begin with the 25th wedding anniversary of Paul (Kyle Chandler) and Ellen (Diane Lane), whose kids-Cynthia (Zoey Deutch), Anna (Madeline Brewer), Josh (Dylan O’Brien), and Birdie (Mckenna Grace in a much better role than “Regretting You”)-arrive with their spouses. The struggling writer Josh is dating another writer named Liz (Phoebe Dynevor from “Fair Play”), while the environmentalist Cynthia is dating another environmentalist named Rob (Darryl McCormack). What the liberal college professor Ellen discovers is that Liz was one of her students who had radical views. She wrote a thesis paper on “The Birth of a Nation: The Change,” which the teacher humiliated her on in class. Paul, of course, has to suggest to her that their son dating her former student is a coincidence.
Liz’s book “The Change” becomes a sensation, and sets off a major change in America. And therefore, it starts to tear the family apart. The mother pulls down their American flag, which goes viral, Anna goes missing and strict internet surveillance has made it difficult for her to be found, Cynthia doesn’t want to have kids in a messed up world, and Birdie is dating the activist Moses (Sky Yang from the awful “Rebel Moon” movies), especially since they’re both rebels. And throughout this “Change,” Ellen is still against Liz, saying: “If you groom another one of my children, I will kill you.”
It’s difficult for me to acknowledge how fascistic society has gotten in this movie, but it is pretty scary and wisely acted in a such a dramatization. “Anniversary” guarantees no happy endings or heroics, as a result of what “The Change” has brought to people. You can sense when such a movement can destroy society, just like how the “Mein Kampf” inspired Hitler’s political beliefs.
The movie was co-written and directed by Jan Komasa, whose credits include “Warsaw 44,” “Corpus Christ,” and “Suicide Room.” A lot of the other pathos in the family is over the top, and I’m still uncomfortable about what this movie visions, but I guess that’s what qualifies this as a thriller. Lane is exceptional as a woman who has her own political views that might be threatened by her daughter-in-law’s views. And Dynevor displays the right kind of tone for her character.
I was thinking back to “New Order,” which was a Mexican film about a dystopian future which started off with a wedding that gets destroyed by rioters and continues with a military dictatorship. “Anniversary” starts off with a simple wedding anniversary and continues with less democracy and more order. And the pathos happens within this family kudos to its new member. I think we’re seeing a better POV over here.