The Anniversary Party (2001)

People are voting emotionally.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The Anniversary Party (2001): Dir: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh / Cast: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kevin Kline, Phoebe Cates, Gwyneth Paltrow: Detailed look at truths and secrets harboured by couples. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming celebrate their sixth anniversary after a year separation. He is a novelist casting a former girlfriend in a film version of his latest work. They invite friends including real life couple Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates. Kline is a former co-star of Leigh's, and Cates paused her career to raise a family. Realistic yet disjointed with buried secrets surfacing. Cumming and Leigh show great potential as first time directors. They manage to keep track of subplots surrounding the ensemble cast. Leigh conceals her resentment while Cumming verges upon crumbling. They both must face facts within their marriage including the false front they display amongst their peers to give the illusion that they are a happy couple. As the evening wears on truths surface that threaten to traumatize their marriage. Kline and Cates display wonderful chemistry that very well may be true in reality. They are observers but not imitators. Gwyneth Paltrow appears as an actress and former girlfriend of the Cumming character. Engaging film about relationships that generates great potential from both its leads in front and behind the camera. Score: 9 / 10

When you get the opportunity, as this movie gives you, to peek into the lives of others, you generally find that they are not terribly different from your own.You have the same problems with neighbors, the same insecurities about your relationships, the same difficulties in dealing with friend's disappointments, and the same neuroses.We spent some time getting to know the guests at the party which was essential, and it was enjoyable watching them interact with each other. They may be actors, directors, producers, writers, etc., but they are basically people just like us.Then came the real party after they took ecstasy. Then those insecurities and neuroses and hidden feelings really came out.The film was funny, tender, and a thrill to watch. An indie that presented an outstanding ensemble of great actors that made you feel right at home, even if you felt a little creepy peeking in on them.

Anniversary Party does not take the directions that ordinary Hollywood party movies would take. Rather, each character reveals a possible "stray" and then continues with their usual path. It was interesting to note that a party of this sort could actually end on a positive note, given that almost everyone pushed themselves outside their usual comfort zone. It is my opinion that with so many talented and known actors, it is difficult to bring what could be chaos into focus, making a movie well worth watching. I definitely recommend this for all those tired of the mainstream movies and looking for something different and interesting.

While celebrating their reconciliation and six years of marriage, the American actress Sally Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and the British novelist Joe Therrian (Alan Cumming) receive their close friends, some colleagues and their next door neighbors in a party. Under the effect of Ecstasy, revelations are disclosed and relationships deteriorate among the group."The Anniversary Party" is a deceptive, pretentious and boring apology to Ecstasy. One of the best and first movies about reunion of friends that I recall is the wonderful "Peter's Friends". Since then, I have watched dozens of this type of independent low-budget movie, and "The Anniversary Party" is certainly one of the worst. The story begins without any previous development of any of the many characters, and the viewer understands how they are connected to each other along the story. However, the story goes nowhere, and the ambiguous lead character Joe Therrian is not clearly defined: he seems to be a shallow bisexual selfish man, without giving attention to his wife, to his needy sister, to his muse, to his neighbor, and only caring to his dog. The other lead character, Sally Nash, seems to be a decadent insecure confused actress. With two unpleasant people hosting different guests with their heads full of alcohol and drugs, the screenplay could not be much better. My vote is five.Title (Brazil): "Aniversário de Casamento" ("Wedding Anniversary")