A new girlfriend ushers in a change of heart in the darkly political ‘Anniversary’

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Jan Komasa, a Polish director, gained recognition in the U.S. with his 2019 Oscar nomination for “Corpus Christi.” However, his most popular film in Poland was “Warsaw 44,” released in 2014. This film depicts the Warsaw Uprising, a fierce and ultimately unsuccessful attempt by the Polish resistance to drive out the German army during the final stages of World War II.

Komasa is familiar with harsh, overt authoritarianism, but his latest film, “Anniversary,” explores a more subtle possibility: fascism that doesn’t arrive with force, but gradually and deceptively. The film, based on a story by Komasa and Lori Rosene-Gambino (who also wrote the screenplay), is more of a thought-provoking scenario than a straightforward narrative.

“Anniversary” follows an American family over five years, showing their struggles as their seemingly perfect suburban life quickly falls apart. This decline mirrors a larger, rapid breakdown of the country’s political stability, happening so fast it’s disorienting.

We’re introduced to the Taylor family through gatherings and celebrations, beginning with the anniversary party of Ellen (Diane Lane) and Paul (Kyle Chandler). Ellen is a professor at Georgetown who’s involved in current debates, while Paul is a chef. They have four children – Cynthia (Zoey Deutch), an environmental lawyer; Anna, a comedian known for pushing boundaries; Birdie, a bright high school student interested in science; and Josh, a somewhat awkward writer trying to find his footing. The film beautifully captures the family together in sweeping shots of their charming backyard.

Josh introduces his new girlfriend, Liz (Phoebe Dynevor, known from the 2023 film “Fair Play”), and she immediately makes a strong impression – she’s polished, elegant, and perfectly put-together. However, her flawless presentation makes Josh’s sisters a little uneasy. After they meet, Liz and Ellen share a tense, uncomfortable exchange. Ellen reveals to her husband that Liz once wrote a controversial thesis as one of her students – a paper that promoted a one-party government and expressed views Ellen considered undemocratic. The thesis was titled “The Change.”

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I was immediately wary of Liz, even though she said she came with good intentions and that a mutual agent, Ellen, had introduced us. She seemed quiet and unassuming, but her ideas were surprisingly bold. It was creepy when she hugged Ellen and whispered that she used to be afraid of her, but wasn’t anymore. That feeling intensified when she sent Ellen a copy of her new book, ‘The Change,’ which she dedicated to anyone who ever doubted or criticized her work – she really seemed to be sending a message!

It’s been two years, and things have really changed. Liz is a full-blown celebrity now, and she’s working with this shadowy group called the Cumberland Company. Meanwhile, she and Josh are married, expecting twins, and Josh has completely embraced a more conservative image. I’m noticing new flags going up all over their fancy neighborhood, and honestly, it’s all making Ellen deeply uneasy – even angry. But she’s trying to be the bigger person, agreeing to host Thanksgiving with Paul despite their clashing political views, all in the name of family.

The core message of “Anniversary” is a strong warning: don’t trust someone who could harm you, even if it feels impolite to be suspicious. Ellen wisely keeps her distance from Liz and views her with skepticism, but Paul makes the critical mistake of assuming Liz has good intentions. He avoids reading “The Change” because he prefers not to face the truth. Meanwhile, as Liz increasingly clings to Josh – possibly seeking revenge on her old professor – the rest of the Taylor family begins to fall apart as the country undergoes major shifts.

The film “Anniversary” hints at a disturbing political situation, but remains intentionally unclear about the specifics of Liz’s beliefs – the very beliefs that make her both influential and unsettling to Ellen. Liz promotes a “single-party system” presented as unity, but in reality, it’s a controlling government that silences dissent through force and constant monitoring. The film doesn’t delve into the details, possibly because it suggests that fascist ideologies are ultimately about seizing and maintaining power. “Anniversary” implies that persuasive language isn’t important when people are so quick to betray each other, leading to the destruction of compassion and liberty under an oppressive regime.

Many recent movies dealing with current social and political problems portray the danger as coming from women, like in “Tár,” which explores themes of cancel culture, or this year’s “After the Hunt.” In “Anniversary,” the evil force takes the form of a harmless woman, while the man she possesses, Josh, begins to act out the worst consequences of her actions.

“Anniversary” isn’t a warning about how things can go wrong – it assumes that wrong has already happened. Instead, the film is a character study that explores why something like this occurs, and powerfully demonstrates that a system like the one depicted offers no compassion, even to those who have always been dedicated to it – a harsh reality that challenges our desire to believe in fairness.

Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

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2025-10-31 22:31