ANNIVERSARY Starring Diane Lane and Kyle Chandler Nothing to Celebrate

The A list stars in the film "Anniversary" (2025) screening on Netflix include Diane Lane (Ellen) and Kyle Chandler (Ben) as a married couple celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary with family and friends doesn't end well.  Nor does it fend well thought despite having a promising premise and a cast of compelling actors.  The story was sorely lacking a fully-developed script required to provide the film credibility and gravitas.  The movie pitch was probably enticing as being a prescient political thriller surrounding a handsome and loving family at a time when our nation is torn asunder by an insidious interloper into the family.  The antagonist is the gorgeous girlfriend of the son who has devised a toxic political manifesto intended to subvert our nation's democracy; morphing it into a dystopian "Brave New World."  The family lives in an enviable home (albeit with inferior decor) on the waterfront just outside Washington, D.C.  The film's inception is the eve of Ellen and Ben's 25th wedding anniversary party.  The couple's prodigies include three daughters, Anna (a celebrity comedienne),  Cynthia (Zoey Deutch) an environmental attorney, unhappily married to a partner at her firm, the sole son, Josh (Dylan O'Brien) and the baby of the family, Birdie (a terrific McKenna Grace). The three sisters are glad to be united at their parents' home, and with mom and dad.  The girls are given to sharing their feelings with each other, especially regarding their only bro and his new girl in tow.  Liz (a duplicitous Phoebe Dynevor) is Josh's new love interest and he's not particularly interested in the critiques from his sisters or mother.  It's not surprising that Liz and Ellen had known each other previously.  Eight years prior, Liz was a doctoral candidate at Georgetown University and Ellen was her supervisor.  As her mentor, Ellen was appalled by Liz's right wing leanings calling for a major revolution including a one party system "to unite everyone." A mega idea except in the film it was too ambiguous as to how the publication of Liz's political manifesto lead to major upheaval in the near short-term into a massively oppressive police state; independent views and non-conformity is met with severe punitive measures and imprisonment.  Again, the flagrant failure to transition to tyranny convincingly causes the crises that unfolded, unbelievable.  Still, there are real shocking moments of terror and intense misery that get uncomfortably under one's skin.  Applaud the acting by Lane, Chandler, Deutch and Dynevor but don't mark time to take-in ANNIVERSARY.