- cross-posted to:
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- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
My wife and I watched this movie last night and we were speechless for twenty minutes. It’s breathtaking. The biggest question that came to my mind was this: How had I never heard of it.
I dare say this is by design. You can check the Wiki page on it’s production for more on this.
But more important: watch it. Start to finish. Start spreading it. I can’t think of anything more important than simply spreading this movie right now. For supporters of Bernie… it’s a slam dunk jaw dropper. But for MAGAs it’s a mirror. And that’s the most beautiful element.
I have no one to talk to about this movie, besides my wife, so please, if you have seen it, chime in.


Good grief, scribbles, here, a full plot breakdown, since I provided a quick synopsis from IMDb and you are still flaming the other person. Remember, you are probably replying on a device that can find all this information with a quick search as well!
Tap for spoiler
What is the plot?
Anniversary (2025) opens with Ellen Taylor (Diane Lane) and her husband Paul (Kyle Chandler) preparing to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary at their family home. The atmosphere is initially warm and intimate, reflecting a once close-knit family gathering. Their adult son Josh (Dylan O’Brien) arrives with his new girlfriend Liz Nettles (Phoebe Dynevor), who is revealed to be a former student of Ellen’s. Liz’s presence immediately introduces tension, as she is deeply involved with a controversial political movement called “The Change,” which is rapidly gaining influence across the country.
As the family reunion progresses, the film gradually exposes the fractures beneath the surface of the Taylors’ relationships. Ellen, a respected figure in her community and a former educator, struggles with the ideological divide that Liz’s radical views bring into the household. Paul attempts to maintain peace but finds himself increasingly caught between loyalty to his wife and concern for his son’s choices. Josh, caught between his parents and Liz, becomes a focal point of the family’s unraveling.
The narrative unfolds through a series of charged conversations and confrontations, revealing the personal and political stakes at play. Liz’s involvement with “The Change” is not merely ideological; it carries implications that threaten the family’s safety and unity. Ellen’s former student, now an activist, challenges the family’s values and forces each member to confront their own beliefs and fears. The film uses the family’s internal conflict as a microcosm for the broader societal divisions gripping the nation.
Tensions escalate when Cynthia (Zoey Deutch), Ellen’s niece, arrives, adding another layer of complexity to the family dynamics. Cynthia’s skepticism of Liz and “The Change” movement fuels further discord. Meanwhile, Birdie (Mckenna Grace), the youngest family member, observes the growing strife with a mixture of confusion and fear, embodying the innocence caught in the crossfire of ideological battles.
As the anniversary celebration continues, political and personal betrayals come to light. Rob (Daryl McCormack), a family friend and confidant, becomes entangled in the unfolding drama, his loyalties tested as the situation deteriorates. Anna(Madeline Brewer), another family member, reveals hidden resentments and secrets that exacerbate the family’s fragmentation.
The film’s climax centers on a heated confrontation between Ellen and Liz, where ideological differences explode into personal accusations. Liz’s commitment to “The Change” leads her to take drastic actions that endanger the family, culminating in a violent altercation that results in multiple character deaths. The specifics of these deaths are harrowing: Liz, driven by fanaticism, kills Rob during a struggle, while Paul intervenes and is fatally wounded protecting Ellen. Josh, devastated by his father’s death and Liz’s betrayal, confronts Liz in a final, tense showdown that leaves Lizcritically injured but alive.
In the aftermath, Ellen grapples with profound loss and the shattering of her family. The film closes on a somber note, with Ellen and the surviving family members attempting to piece together their lives amid the ruins of their relationships. The nation outside remains on edge, mirroring the family’s fractured state, as “The Change” continues to spread its influence.
Throughout Anniversary, the narrative weaves together intimate family drama with broader political commentary, illustrating how ideological extremism can infiltrate and destroy even the most cherished bonds. The characters’ motivations are deeply personal yet emblematic of larger societal conflicts, making the film a tense and emotionally charged thriller that culminates in tragedy and unresolved tensions.
While I admit my first comment was a bit flippant, I was annoyed at the commenter’s… I’ll say it… conceited remarks. That they don’t need such paltry details see a film, that a mere wisp of a note of intrigue is enough, and that I, a lowly commoner, am wrong for even thinking such things as plot, or setting, or characters.
Honestly your comment below: “In this gripping thriller…”, is what I think the post needed to show what the movie was about. Posting the clip is probably very meaningful if you’ve seen the movie, but for me who is deciding if I should see it, I have no context of what it is about. I shouldn’t have been flippant in my comment, my intention was more “if people are scrolling through and see this for a split second, we won’t know what the movie is about”, slightly encouraging OP to add some context - but it was the wrong way to do that.
I regret this part of the thread went sideways. I was overly vague — I mentioned my wife and I were stunned into silence for twenty minutes. I’ll say here… we were stunned by the fluidity of a film that presented a horrific turn in American politics not happening sometime in the future or past but right now — we are literally ONE BOOK away from totalitarian despotism where anyone, even MAGAs can be murdered with impunity in their own homes.
Please watch this movie.
I hate to be relegated to cheerleader but this movie has been censored because it presents. Our situation coldly clearly and realistically. And it’s dire.
nah don’t regret, we’re all good, I should have been less flippant too.
After all of this, I am going to watch it. As a rule anything that’s minimized or shamed or generally “they” don’t want me to watch usually means I should go watch it. Although, as someone who is fully aware of what is happening right now, opening me up to that much anxiety makes me worry too, and I won’t lie after having several family dinners like that clip, I’m nervous… but I’ll trust you.