Anniversary

Amazing acting, Especially Dianne Lane. This is not for sissies, this is a "Manchurian Candidate" in reverse. The "villain" is clever, incredibly clever. The politics are current , think "Groyper " credo on steroids. The art world is certainly mirroring the real world, "Civil War, One Battle After Another, "After the party", and now Anniversary.

We need to make more of these films.

Polish director Jan Komasa presents an intriguing political thriller with touches of science fiction that immerses us in a mind game and the disintegration of an apparently perfect family.

With a star-studded cast including Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Madeline Brewer, Zoey Deutch, Dylan O'Brien, Phoebe Dynevor and McKenna Grace, the story follows a close-knit family that is torn apart when a new movement, "The Change," takes over the country.

Anniversary may seem like a political pamphlet at first glance, but delving into the film's psychology reveals a layered thriller that captivates the viewer. It's a work with a moral and political undercurrent that explores the extreme thoughts plaguing the characters' minds. The director's impeccable handling captivates with a simple interplay of glances and unease, creating a film that becomes an addiction as intense as it is cruel.

The film's stellar cast is its greatest asset in keeping us captivated by everything that unfolds on screen. Diane Lane returns with one of her finest performances as a determined and politically engaged mother, perfectly counterbalanced by Phoebe Dynevor, who provides the ideal antithesis to what we might expect. The rest of the cast is equally superb.

It's a clever film that manages to win you over, but it's not a film that will appeal to everyone. While it has its political undertones, it also explores social culture in times of questioning freedom. It's a daring film that, in Lori Rosene-Gambino's screenplay, finds its main strength in suspense and tension, making you feel uncomfortable as part of this family that unravels over the course of five years.

A pleasant surprise, especially for those who enjoy intense thrillers like this one. It has its flaws, of course; it's not a perfect film, particularly when it tries to string together transitions that aim to present a layer of reflective morality. The film works much better when it lets go and doesn't try to be a politically correct piece meant to please. The discomfort and tension it generates within a house prove to be the ideal effect for enjoying a story with a couple of very satisfying twists.

"Anniversary" is an uncomfortable, unsettling viewing - exactly as it's meant to be. It's the first film to truly confront the state of the U. S. in the post-Trump era, exposing how toxic and divisive politics have become. The story plays like a cautionary tale, one that could easily serve as a prequel to The Handmaid's Tale. What makes it terrifying is how grounded it feels in our current reality.

The film is subtle, poignant, and thought-provoking, choosing to focus on a single family rather than on the events happening around them. This perspective makes the impact far more intimate and intense; you feel the consequences directly through the characters, how they change, and how the events twist their lives. It forces you to wonder how you would react if placed in their situation. Making this a must watch.

The cast is a huge part of the film's success, with eveyone delivering an Oscar-worthy performance - especially the always incredible Diane Lane. And everything else, from the direction to the writing to the cinematography, is absolutely top-notch.

Baron Nathan Rothschild has been quoted as saying "When there's blood in the streets, buy real estate." This sentiment, beyond the obvious reference to financial opportunities, also expresses the idea that division and chaos create opportunities for political revision. And as history has so often demonstrated that revision can manifest in negative ways.

A single, close-knit family celebrates an anniversary, every toast invokes love, but over the course of five years the story moves inextricably toward the antithesis. The close-knit weave is unravelled. A political evolution is occurring, sparked by a book written by the girlfriend of the young son in the family. The result is a family divided and increasing at odds and edgy.

Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Zoey Deutch and the rest of the cast excel. The screenplay itself attempts to be a cautionary tale, a psychological thriller, and a study in the corrupting nature of power. It only partially succeeds, because it touches too lightly on the subject matter--we never learn anything about political movement itself, the ideology behind it. The story should have been told through a limited series of three episodes.

It does however remind us quite clearly how what often appears as a simple grassroots movement, and appeals to the masses, can be saturated with malfeasance. We need to be cautious, and history should be studied. Prevent those who want to control it.

"Anniversary" quietly shows up on new release rentals barely a month after it played in theaters, and that already tells you something about it. The synopsis sounded provocative, which is exactly what pulls me in when I am picking something to watch, and the moment I hit play it felt like the movie's ideas were already playing out in real time, not just on screen but in the way the movie itself had been handled. Right from the start it is walking a tightrope, trying to say something meaningful while also being affected by the very thing it is commenting on, especially with the studio barely promoting it at all, which weirdly only makes it more interesting. That quiet rollout becomes part of the experience whether it meant to or not. The dialogue feels natural and sharp, delivered by a group of very strong actors led by Diane Lane, and honestly the casting does a lot of the heavy lifting. Just the choice of actresses for the three sisters is enough to make you want to stick around and see where it all goes.