Jan Komasa’s latest thriller boasts a dream cast including Diane Lane and Dylan O’Brien. Yet this highly anticipated political drama collapses under its own weight. Viewers expecting a cinematic masterpiece will face a chaotic and frustrating mess instead.
A Stellar Ensemble Cast Cannot Save the Day
The film industry rarely sees such a high concentration of talent in one project. You might expect magic when Diane Lane and Kyle Chandler share the screen. They play Ellen and Paul Taylor. The couple is celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. This event serves as the backdrop for the entire narrative.
Fans of Friday Night Lights will recognize Chandler instantly. He settles into the role of the patriarch with ease. But the script gives him little to do. The story kicks off as their children arrive at the sprawling Taylor estate.
The lineup of the younger generation is equally impressive. Zoey Deutch plays Cynthia alongside Daryl McCormack as her husband Rob. Madeline Brewer takes on the role of Anna. Mckenna Grace plays the teenage daughter Birdie. Dylan O’Brien arrives as Josh. He brings his fiancée Liz. She is played by Phoebe Dynevor.
diane lane kyle chandler anniversary movie dinner scene
“The joy of moviegoing materializes in the unknown, but here it leads to frustration.”
This gathering should be the recipe for a gripping family drama. However, the talent is wasted on confused character arcs. The actors try their best to elevate the material. But they are fighting a losing battle against a muddled screenplay.
Political Tension Ruins the Family Celebration
The core conflict arises from a past connection between Ellen and Liz. Ellen is a professor of politics at Georgetown. She realizes Liz was once her student. This is not a happy reunion. Liz once pitched a radical idea for a one party system. Ellen strongly disagreed with it then.
Tension mounts quickly at the dinner table. Josh becomes defensive about his choice of partner. He questions why his mother is so cold. The disconnect between Liz and the rest of the family is palpable.
Things get worse during a bonfire scene. The siblings try to bond but fail. Liz gives Ellen a book she authored. It details her radical political plan called “The Change.” This gift is a passive aggressive power move.
The film then takes a jarring leap forward. The narrative jumps two years into the future. Liz is now pregnant. Her political movement has gone viral nationwide. She returns to the family dynamic with a new job appointment at Georgetown. This horrifies Ellen.
Key Plot Points:
- The Reunion: Liz returns as the fiancée of Ellen’s son.
- The Gift: A book outlining a radical political manifesto.
- The Jump: The story skips two years to show the rise of the movement.
- The Conflict: Family loyalty battles against political ideology.
Director Jan Komasa Struggles With Pace
Jan Komasa previously directed the Oscar nominated film Corpus Christi. That movie was a masterclass in tension. Sadly, Anniversary lacks that same directorial precision. The movie cannot decide what it wants to be.
It starts like a paranoid thriller. It resembles the 1999 film Arlington Road. But it quickly loses that focus. It tries to pivot into a family drama. Then it shifts again into a political commentary.
The editing choices are particularly jarring. Characters frequently talk over one another. This does not feel like natural overlapping dialogue. It feels like a mistake in the sound mixing.
The third act is where the movie truly falls apart. The unraveling of the Taylor family feels unearned. Motivations shift without warning. It feels like the actors are improvising their lines. The pacing drags significantly despite the runtime being under two hours.
Dylan O’Brien Shines in Darker Role
There are brief flashes of brilliance amidst the confusion. Dylan O’Brien delivers the standout performance of the film. He shifts his character from a supportive son to someone unsettlingly confident.
One scene at the dinner table highlights his range. Josh systematically takes down Birdie’s new boyfriend. He probes into the boyfriend’s career aspirations with cold precision. It is a rare moment where the tension actually works.
However, these moments are few and far between. A scene involving a family kayak trip serves no purpose. It adds nothing to the plot. It only slows down the momentum.
Comparison of Elements:
| Element | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Acting | Strong | Cast elevates weak dialogue. |
| Script | Weak | Confused themes and pacing. |
| Direction | Mixed | Visuals are okay but editing is poor. |
| Tone | Inconsistent | Swings between thriller and soap opera. |
The movie leaves the audience with too many questions. What is Liz’s true motivation? Is she a political genius or just petty? The film never answers this. It treats its plot points like background noise.
The title itself feels irrelevant. The anniversary party is just the setting. It has no deep connection to the political themes. This disconnect summarizes the entire viewing experience.
Review Score: C-
Anniversary is a disappointment of epic proportions. It wastes a cast that any director would kill for. The political themes are shallow. The family drama is unconvincing. It is a film that aims for greatness but lands in mediocrity. Viewers will likely leave the theater feeling cheated.
What did you think about the movie? Did the cast manage to save the script for you? Let us know in the comments below. If you have seen it, share your thoughts on social media using #AnniversaryMovie.
