Review of The Anniversary Party (2001) by Oliver B — 06 Sep 2010

A few weeks ago, I was doing some internet research on whatever happened to Phoebe Cates and I noticed that this film was a bit of an island since she stopped being in movies to raise kids. Then a couple of weeks later I noticed it in the Channel 4 (early morning) schedules â?? nice! When I got round to watching it, my heart sank as the early morning signing for the deaf woman popped up. But I stuck with it cause I'm a martyr like that.

I rather enjoyed this, especially as it turns out that despite the 19 years since Fast Times (and 11 since Gremlins 2), Cates is still taste. It was a pretty predictable film â?? the Ch 4 continuity announcer warned me there would be scenes of drug taking, so I knew someone would have an experience with death, we learn early on that the couple with the anniversary are on shaky ground, so it's pretty much guaranteed to get a lot more shaky later on and, erm, well, nothing much else happens. There's an anniversary party, there are guests, some people don't get on, Paltrow gets everyone stoned.

I don't buy Alan Cumming, who is half of the anniversary couple, even as bisexual. Some stereotypes are there for a reason and Alan looks really gay â?? perhaps I'm forever jaded by that flight attendant sitcom from years back but he doesn't help matters by mincing about in a tight vest with his hair scrunched up for most of the second half. Unless that's what happens when you take ecstasy.

The series of speeches made by the guests of the party were apparently improvised and rather indulgent. Kevin Kline gets his daughter to do a dance which (unless I've forgotten something) wasn't played for laughs, a bunch of acoustic guitar wielding bruisers come along and sing some comedy songs that would be cringeworthy even on the Now Show, and the rest of the party, in turn, hark on about what a great couple this fictional couple are. Bothered.

Also indulgent was the actors workshop scene near the end when the anniversary couple have their long predicted row, escalating in melodramatic comebacks â?? "you're a crap writer" "well you're a crap actress" SPOILER "well I aborted our baby" MADE UP "well I'm fucking your mom.".

That said, most of it was very entertaining, even with these pretensions. The tussles with the next door neighbours I found funny and, erm, Parker Posey gets them out. Though the signing for the deaf lady got in the way for most of it.