Flaws and all, ‘Anniversary’ sends chilling message
In the midst of Jan Komasa’s “Anniversary,” I was reminded of Elton John’s heartfelt tribute to John Lennon, “Empty Garden,” and the lyrics, “It’s funny how one insect can damage so much grain.” It’s true of Mark David Chapman, as it is of a certain vainglorious ex-reality show host. And it certainly befits one Elizabeth Nettles, the parasitical demolisher of a quintessential American family that’s the lifeblood of the Polish director’s latest anti-fascist screed.
Played by “Fair Game’s” lethal beauty, Phoebe Dynevor, the deceptively demure Elizabeth is first seen reflected in a mirror, rehearsing a creepily calculated congratulations she’s about to bestow – a la Eddie Haskell – upon her gullible boyfriend’s parents on the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary. Exceedingly polite, yet cunning, she smiles sweetly and impeccably conveys her good wishes. Yet, it’s clear there’s something a bit off in her quasi-robotic tone.
Josh Taylor (Dylan O’Brien), her soon-to-be husband, is oblivious, as is his restaurateur father, Paul (Kyle Chandler). But Josh’s mom, Georgetown professor Ellen (Diane Lane), is on to her almost immediately. She doesn’t yet know why, but there’s something about Liz that has her bullshit detector going off the charts. What’s great about Lane’s performance, her best in more than a decade, is the subtle way her face expresses every horrible thing Ellen is thinking behind an icily polite visage.
Her keen intuition is screaming out that her helpless cub is firmly in the hooks of a predator with nefarious intent. But she also knows she’s powerless to do anything about it, at least not now, when they are surrounded by dozens of friends, not to mention Josh’s three younger siblings, burgeoning comedian Anna (Madeline Brewer), environmental attorney Cynthia (Zoey Deutch) and high school senior, Birdie (Mckenna Grace). They’re not letting on, but they, too, smell a rat, especially later in the evening when the prissy Liz refuses to take a hit off the joint being shared around a campfire down by the lake. Still, none of them can imagine this will be the last time they – along with Cynthia’s partner in law and life, Rob (Daryl McCormack from “Bad Sisters”) – are gathered together in peace.
What ensues is an anti-American tragedy in which not only are the Taylors destroyed, one by one, but so is an entire nation sucked in by the authoritarian teachings laid out in the Amazon best-seller, “The Change.” It’s an omniscient treatise (a la Project 2025) on living under a one-party system in which, in theory, there is no left or right, just a compliant center in which free speech and civil liberties are sacrificed “for the greater good.” And who, pray tell, is the author of this antidemocratic doctrine? Why, Liz, of course.
OK, that part is silly, not to mention implausible, given the insurmountable odds of one person winning over a vast majority – from queers to rednecks – of our deeply divided country. But this is Komasa, the director who gave us the magnificent “Corpus Christi,” about an ex-con conning an entire Polish village into believing that he was their new priest. You trust Komasa’s judgment, so you go with it. More so when you recognize that “Anniversary” expounds upon the themes and ideas of “Corpus Christi,” exploiting them to the nth degree. But in doing so, the power and impact are somewhat diminished. We can believe a small village being suckered, but a nation of 360 million?
It’s ludicrous. And it doesn’t help that neither Komasa nor first-time scenarist Lori Rosene-Gambino bothers to explain the tenets central to “The Change.” And if you evaluate “Anniversary” from that mindset, it’s an utter failure. But if you regard it as I did, a microcosm of a family fractured by the divisiveness of politics, it can be quite riveting. And much of that is due to an outstanding ensemble of largely unsung actors led by Lane.
Most disturbing is how quickly the locust, Liz, devours the fibers that bind the Taylors so tightly. It only takes five years, beginning with Paul and Ellen’s 25th anniversary, and ending on their 30th. In between, we witness each member of the family deteriorate, largely through their own self-destructiveness, abetted by Liz and her ever-growing, corporate-backed movement.
Anna, the comedian, falls victim to a Salman Rushdie-like attack; Cynthia, the attorney, subverts the laws governing a loving relationship; Birdie, the malleable teen, is subjected to radicalization by both sides; and Mom and Dad watch their careers evaporate. But the one undergoing the most extreme transformation is Josh. And O’Brien (“Twinless”) is superb in depicting his odious character’s descent from an ineffectual author into a Hitler-curious sort of fascist who becomes even too much for Liz.
In his second English-language endeavor – and his first with a largely American cast – Komasa’s usual themes of autonomy and individual responsibility endure through the Taylors, a once-loving family, torn asunder by suspicion, distrust and that increasingly common American trait, hate. Alas, it’s an emotion more powerful than any bomb or army, remaining undefeated throughout history. And in every conflict, there is at least one “insect” like Liz, serenely manipulating the masses through lies and projection. Initially, they may seem likable and empathetic. But watch your back, these self-serving vermin are liable to jam a knife into it. And do it flashing a sardonic smile.
Movie review
Anniversary
Rated: R for language, some smoking, drug use
Cast: Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Phoebe Dynevor, Zoey Deutch, Mckenna Grace, Dylan O’Brien, Daryl McCormack and Madeline Brewer
Director: Jan Komasa
Writer: Lori Rosene-Gambino
Runtime: 111 minutes
Where: In theaters now (limited)
Grade: B
