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Movies / On DVD / The Anniversary Party
The Anniversary Party

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The Anniversary Party (2001)

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Reviews Counted:111

Fresh:67

Rotten:44

Average Rating:5.8/10

Consensus: This Party features a killer cast and many funny scenes, but the movie feels like nothing more than an excuse for the actors to emote.

Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: To celebrate their sixth anniversary, successful novelist Joe Therrian (Alan Cumming) and his wife, famous Hollywood actress Sally (Jennifer Jason Leigh), invite their friends over for a party.... To celebrate their sixth anniversary, successful novelist Joe Therrian (Alan Cumming) and his wife, famous Hollywood actress Sally (Jennifer Jason Leigh), invite their friends over for a party. Sally and Joe have only recently reconciled after a separation, and the strain in their relationship reveals itself as the party progresses. An especially difficult topic is Joe's casting of trendy young actress Skye Davidson (Gwyneth Paltrow) in a film based on his latest novel--a role that might have gone to Sally. Also present are the Therrians's neurotic friends: the insecure director Mac (John C. Reilly) and his neurotic wife Clair (Jane Adams), movie star Cal Gold (Kevin Kline) and his wife Sophia (Phoebe Cates)--who has given up her career to support their children, and the next door neighbors, who have their own problems. The result is truly a night to remember. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming cowrote and codirected THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY, casting their friends in the lead roles, and shooting on digital video to give the film more intimacy and freedom than mainstream Hollywood dramas. Featuring fresh, honest acting from its ensemble and brilliant performances from Leigh and Cumming, THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY is a hilarious look at life and love. [More]

Starring: Jane Adams, Jennifer Beals, Phoebe Cates, Alan Cumming

Starring: Jane Adams, Jennifer Beals, Phoebe Cates, Alan Cumming, John Benjamin Hickey, Kevin Kline, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gwyneth Paltrow, Parker Posey, John C. Reilly, Michael Panes, Denis O'Hare, Mina Badie, Karen Kilgariff, Matt Malloy

Director: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Director: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Screenwriter: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Producer: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Joanne Sellar
Composer: Michael Penn
Studio: Fine Line Features

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Anniversary Party

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

A most entertaining and heartfelt American movie.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
06/28/01
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

The cast members play versions of themselves with considerable verve, but their meltdowns are predictable, over-familiar and disappointingly camp-free.

Full Review Source: eye WEEKLY | comment Comment
06/25/01
Jason Anderson
Jason Anderson
eye WEEKLY

Good performances, but basically an exercise in self-indulgence.

Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
06/08/01
John Anderson
John Anderson
Newsday

Clever concept, made uniquely personal...

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
06/16/01
Jeanne Aufmuth
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

Though the film is overlong and overly familiar, Leigh and Cumming ultimately bring a sincere sensitivity and understanding to the material.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
06/22/01
Sean Axmaker
Sean Axmaker
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

This film is monumentally annoying.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
06/22/01
Joe Baltake
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee

The acting is what makes this picture worth framing.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
06/26/01
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

A candid and compelling, character-driven ensemble piece.

Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
06/22/01
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire

...because Cumming and Leigh avoid most (though not all) of the easy choices common to first-time writers and directors, the movie stays on the right side of entertaining.

Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com | comment Comment
04/05/06
Mark Bourne
Mark Bourne
DVDJournal.com

This movie is lacking in a lot of important areas including plot, substance and character, but it is certainly not short on big-name talent.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/12/02
Janet Branagan
Janet Branagan
Apollo Guide

Where else are you going to see so many beautiful people acting in a way that makes the rest of us feel superior?

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
06/29/01
Robert W. Butler
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star

Isn't what you'd call a probing film, but it's a slick and savvy one.

comment Comment
06/22/01
Jay Carr
Jay Carr
Boston Globe

A movie [made] for the express purpose of showing off a lot of other talented actors, and unfortunately, there’s not much of a purpose beyond that.

Full Review Source: Daily-Reviews | comment Comment
03/13/02
Shay Casey
Shay Casey
Daily-Reviews

How do people with perfect lives find ways to live them so imperfectly, you might wonder? "The Anniversary Party" shows us, making us laugh and understand at the same time.

Full Review Source: AboutFilm.com | comment Comment
06/15/01
Carlo Cavagna
Carlo Cavagna
AboutFilm.com

The Anniversary Party is heartfelt and affected in equal part, the product of actors' occasional desire to be understood as human beings.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
03/07/02
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

It feels like watered-down Robert Altman when it is intended to be a bitter, stiff drink.

Full Review Source: Matinee Magazine | comment Comment
07/02/02
Jason Clark
Jason Clark
Matinee Magazine

ultimately the performers themselves seem to have gotten the lion's share of the entertainment

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
06/28/01
Laura Clifford
Laura Clifford
Reeling Reviews

Focusing on the relationship between Sally and Joe ... The Anniversary Party reveals itself as a devastating parable about love, unfolding much like a stage play.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
11/18/02
Rachel Deahl
Rachel Deahl
Boxoffice Magazine

Such an array of acting talent is trapped in such a mess of a movie.

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
04/04/01
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

The relationships have the ebb and flow of astute observation and inspired improvisation.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
06/21/01
Duane Dudek
Duane Dudek
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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Latest News for The Anniversary Party

December 13, 2005: Cumming, Heche & Boreanaz to Work for "Charity"
Actor/director Alan Cumming will helm and star in "Suffering Man's Charity," a dark comedy indie ensemble that just began production in Los Angeles. More...

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