The Anniversary Party Review

When Jennifer Jason Leigh and the British actor Alan Cumming worked together on the successful revival of Cabaret on Broadway, a creative collaboration was born. Together they wrote, produced, directed and starred in The Anniversary Party, shot in 19 days on digital video with a small group of close friends. The party concerned is to celebrate the 6th wedding anniversary of Sally and Joe. She`s an actress, insecure because her career is plateauing, he`s a British novelist who`s just got a green light to direct the adaptation of his latest novel in which he`s just cast the young star Skye Davidson, Gwyneth Paltrow. On this particular day and night their friends gather - maturing star Cal, Kevin Kline and his wife Sophia, Kline`s real life wife Phoebe Cates who`s giving up acting to raise the children. Their business managers, Parker Posey and John Benjamin Hickey, the director of Sally`s current film, John C. Reilly and his wife Jane Adams suffering from newborn separation anxiety. And they also invite the neighbours, Dennis O`Hare and Mina Badie hoping to get over difficulties caused by their dog. Shot by veteran cinematographer John Bailey on 3 digital cameras and despite the fact that it looks fine you can tell it`s been shot on video. This film is very well written, extraordinarily well performed, with a reality created by the fact that Leigh and Cumming used their knowledge of the cast to create believable characters. There are some interesting insights into parenting, that`s for sure. It`s terrifically enjoyable, with Jennifer Jason-Leigh doing her best work on screen in ages.