Any movie starring Dylan O’Brien is an automatic must-see, even more so given his powerful performance in this year’s queer masterpiece, Twinless. This has led to a variety of surprises throughout the years having followed O’Brien’s career since day one of Teen Wolf. Even in a worst case, O’Brien’s performance could be a selling point amongst a traditionally poor narrative. For Anniversary, the young actor plays perhaps him most despicable character to date in this compelling and deeply upsetting familial drama. In a time more divisive than ever, screenwriter Laurie Rosene-Gambino explores a horrifying potential reality unafraid to embrace its bleakest indulgences. With a game ensemble cast and a decade-spanning politically-driven dystopia on the rise, Anniversary edges out the competition to become one of the best movies of the year.
Humble beginnings start the film with an extended family gathering for the 25th anniversary of restauranteur Paul (Kyle Chandler) and his wife, college professor Ellen (Diane Lane). Their sprawling family is host to a variety of intellectuals, but the newest member to their ranks will be the one to fracture them beyond repair. Struggling writer Josh (Dylan O’Brien) brings along his girlfriend Liz (Phoebe Dynevor), who is hopeful to make a great first impression. None of the family takes kindly to Liz, but Ellen in particular actually has a history with the girl. She was once Ellen’s student, expelled for a strikingly anti-democratic thesis submitted in class. Despite the tension, Liz remains hopeful that they can move past their disagreements.
Naturally, the makeup of the family—and ominous voiceover—warn us that things will quickly be changing. At first, Anniversary plays as a sharp domestic drama fueled by witty dinner conversations and slight jabs of judgement. Slowly, it morphs into a chilling sociopolitical nightmare that divides the family into shattered factions. Liz and Josh co-write a manifesto-eseque book titled The Change that advocates for a complete political reset. This text presents divisive ideas about moving beyond party structure, claiming to treasure people over politics, but as the years roll by, it becomes a cultural lightning rod. One suspects that neither Liz nor Josh could have anticipated a wild revolution that unravels the very fabric of democracy. But a family member who probably did see it coming is Ellen, who constantly butts heads with Josh and Liz as the troublesome girl becomes further enmeshed in Josh’s life.
At first, the family debates the meaning of The Change, even poking fun despite potential looming dangers. As it grows into a full-blown authoritarian regime, the interpersonal relationships collapse. Eldest daughter Anna (Madeline Brewer), once a famous comedian, comes under fire, as do major free thinkers, journalists, and academics. The youngest, Birdie (Mckenna Grace), secretly conspires against The Change as it spreads all over the country. The family’s dynamic becomes unrecognizable as they hurl toward a devastating climax. Laurie Rosene-Gambino’s script masterfully shifts tones from ensemble drama to disturbing thriller nightmare. Despite being dialogue heavy in some stretches, the moral tensions and a frighteningly plausible scenario give way to uniformly exceptional performances.
Ellen’s quiet unraveling tugs at the heartstrings, Liz’s transformation from anxious outsider to authoritarian architect is mesmerizing, and Birdie quietly evolves into the most vital member of the group. O’Brien stands out as the infuriating Josh, corrupted by a lust for power and a hunger for the shiny appeal of the new world order. Even in smaller roles, sister Cynthia (Zoey Deutch) and her husband (Daryl McCormack) deliver noteworthy performances, with the former bringing a tender touch to her Cynthia’s somewhat hardened exterior. These all feel like believable personas thanks to immaculate direction from Jan Komasa. Chandler and Lane as the patriarch and matriarch, respectfully, are electric, and the best either actor has been in years.
The writing refuses easy answers, insisting that fascism doesn’t arrive in black uniforms, but through compromise, comfort, and the desire to belong. As a result, Anniversary ends up a profoundly disturbing and emotionally shattering experience. It manages to capture the personal cost of complicity and the unfortunate fissures of the modern political divide with chilling precision. A masterpiece of moral decay and family disintegration, Anniversary is a haunting film impossible to shake.
Attend the Anniversary of the year, coming exclusively to theaters on Wednesday, October 29th.
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