Anniversary Review: Jan Komasa’s Chilling Drama Depicts a Happy Family Being Shattered

      Jan Komasa’s Anniversary should be considered for the least subtle film of the year. It should also be a contender for the most frightening. This incisive thriller is straightforward in its messaging and doesn't hold back its renowned actors, even if they occasionally might need to tone it down—but it strikes its aims with unsettling precision. Watching it at the Warsaw Film Festival's opening night (the Polish director’s native ground), it reminded me of Michel Franco’s New Order, which presents a similarly harsh totalitarian ordeal. Additionally, Paul Lynch’s Booker Prize-winning novel Prophet Song also comes to mind: another tale about a nation's descent into fascism, told from the perspective of a disbelieving mother. While Anniversary may be overacted and blunt to the point of preaching, I could never quite decipher its direction, yet I was consistently engaged.

      Written by Lori Rosene-Gambino, this narrative is filled with modern anxieties: it’s the type of film that seems more focused on unsettling the gut rather than just provoking the mind. Since the release of Suicide Room in 2011, Komasa has been amassing a body of provocative work without achieving significant recognition. However, that may be set to change with the simultaneous release of Anniversary and Good Boy this season, marking the director’s first projects in English, highlighting how an Oscar nomination—he received one for Corpus Cristi in 2019—can impact a filmmaker’s career. Good Boy is unfortunately facing tough competition with Ben Leonberg’s horror film being released simultaneously, but Komasa’s film, featuring Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough, has been received warmly nonetheless.

      Nonetheless, the ensemble cast of Anniversary is even more impressive: Diane Lane and Kyle Chandler portray Ellen and Paul, a liberal academic and a restaurateur who are parents to four children: McKenna Grace plays Birdie, the youngest daughter, who is as observant and whimsical as her name implies; Zoey Deutch plays Cynthia, an environmental lawyer married to the handsome Rob (Daryl McCormack); Madeline Brewer stands out as Anna, a viral comic known for provoking reactions; and lastly, Dylan O’Brien as Josh, the least talented in the family, who draws the interest of Liz (Phoebe Dynevor), a politics major who once had a paper on one-party rule lead to Ellen humiliating her in class. The film starts with the family celebrating Ellen and Paul’s 25th anniversary and revisits major events every few years until their 30th, during which Liz’s political aspirations rise as the democratic framework around them deteriorates. It would be unfortunate to reveal more.

      Transitioning to English-language filmmaking can be challenging, particularly for a director handling a narrative rich in political commentary. More than once, I thought of Joachim Trier’s Louder Than Bombs, which was smaller in scope but often regarded as a low point in his career—a rare misstep between the poignant Oslo Trilogy and the current Renatessance. Released during Obama’s final months as president, Bombs strived to address themes of war and masculinity through the collapse of a family, but Trier’s overly somber approach may have come across as well-intentioned yet misguided. It felt like a director treading lightly, the exact opposite of Komasa's forceful approach here. While the Norwegian filmmaker approached America with a gentle knock, Anniversary feels like a battering ram.

      One common and understandable challenge for non-native speakers switching languages is mastering the sounds of effective line delivery, a hurdle Komasa occasionally faces here. Many actors deliver their standout moments with grandiosity, but even amid these heavy displays, the casting quality remains high. Given her most significant role in years, Lane rises to the occasion, while Chandler, in his more restrained moments, reminded me of his outstanding performance in The Wolf of Wall Street. Dynevor shines as well, maintaining her composure throughout; O’Brien, too, transforms his character significantly from start to finish. The smaller roles are equally enjoyable, particularly Rebecca O’Mara (from Dublin) and Kaja Chan, who are both chilling in a brief late scene. The cinematography by DP Piotr Sobociński Jr. may linger a bit too long on the actresses, especially McKenna Grace, who was probably no older than 18 during filming, but the direction and storytelling are captivating, much like a gripping page-turner. Regardless of these concerns, this film is intensely engaging: an exploitative narrative dressed in prestige.

      Anniversary premiered at the Warsaw Film Festival and hits theaters on October 29.