“Opus” (2025) follows Ariel Denise Ecton (Ayo Edebiri), a writer at a magazine who pitches amazing stories that her boss, Stan Sullivan (Murray Bartlett), swipes. She gets a big break in the form of a gift basket invitation from recluse pop star Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich) to go to his isolated compound with scores of followers in New Mexico to hear his thirtieth album. She is the lowest person on the guest list, and the only one who resists Moretti’s seductive spectacle. Having never watched “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971), everyone goes without any trepidation and expect a weekend of indulgence and maximum coolness. With her boss still treating her as if she is in the office, and the unsettling feeling that something is off, will she ever have a chance to get her big break?
Good news or bad news first? Good news. The cast is phenomenal, and Massachusetts should be proud with local born and bred Edebiri and Cambridge resident Malkovich. Edebiri is a natural at playing the overlooked dreamer/keen observer of others, but not when it comes to herself and those closest to her. Ariel is still young enough to trust that her boss is acting benevolently without questioning his motives or recognizing that her ideas are great but separated from her to keep her in her stable as a work horse, not a phenomenon to nurture as a natural successor who could eclipse everyone. Even her best friend, Kent (Young Mazino), is dismissive of her talent so that basket is the equivalent of Cinderella getting invited to the ball. Instead of trying to dance with the prince, she starts milling around the edges of the party and chatting with the staff.
Director and writer Mark Anthony Green in his feature debut has moments of brilliance such as the phenomenal shot when Moretti decides it is time to engage Ariel. The calculating, intense moment reveals Moretti zoned in on Ariel while she is absorbed in her thoughts and crafting the story. “Opus” is at its best with the ensemble cast, and Malkovich is captivating in the role. Moretti is a combo of David Bowie, Elton John and Prince if Malkovich played them. Somehow the character is utterly Malkovich except not at all. There are moments of secondhand embarrassment that are just delicious when Moretti performs, but it also gives Green a chance to show which character is falling hard into Moretti’s power by showing the light twinkling in the listener’s eyes as if they have stars in their eyes. It is an image that evokes “Manhunter” (1986) and “Doctor Sleep” (2019). If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then these people are goners.
“Opus” could have revolved around the axis of imposter syndrome, but despite the opening scene proving that Ariel has what it takes to be a great writer, it still functions as if she is simultaneously incisive and manipulated, which maybe is the problem that everyone has. No matter how good you are, someone is using you, and you cannot escape the gravity of serving a cause against your will. Meanwhile the other guests criticize Ariel’s suspicions and sound like the average person who critiques cultural criticism and says it is not too deep. Instead of love, there is a work triangle between Ariel, Stan and Moretti, but it gets diluted with all the side characters who feel like real establishment, too cool types who are above Ariel and act as if they deserve this spot. The undeserved entitlement versus merit dynamic was sufficiently conveyed with Ariel and Stan.
“Opus” missed out on what made it special, which was a great concept, but the story is too derivative (“Ex Machina”) and does not do enough on screen to make the story feel cohesive. It is possible that there was more to the Moretti cult, and the other guests had bigger storylines, but it is not in the final draft. Most characters feel familiar and three dimensional, but it feels like a waste that each one did not get more screentime. Podcaster Bill Lotto (Mark Silvertsen), one of Moretti’s former enemies, feels like an afterthought wearing a red shirt. Influencer Emily Katz (Stephanie Suganami) gets thrown into some great montages and looks phenomenal but otherwise has nothing to do. Bianca Tyson (Melissa Chambers), a paparazzi who prefers looking rough and masculine, is an intriguing character because she seems gruff and all business but is a shameless star (bleep)er. Seeing Juliette Lewis will get you excited, but she is another one who is not given a chance to shine as sex symbol Clara Armstrong.
The actors who played the cult members did a great job of conveying their characters’ personality in the way that they moved in the world. Peter Diseth as Jorg, the creepy greeter, stabs and slices his food disproportionate to the requisite force to transform it into bite size pieces. Not since Robert Patrick has a person played the embodiment of terminator energy like Amber Midthunder, who is also in “Novocaine” (2025) and here plays Belle, Ariel’s concierge. Tony Hale is delectable as the Moretti’s PR Soledad Yusef, and honestly if there was a sidequel comedy, people would line up. He feels so real. Najee (Tatanka Means) seems like a person that you would expect at a legit retreat, which makes him the scariest character of all. It is too bad that “Opus” did not show the kids more, but the movie is shown through the protagonist’s eyes so if she does not know the real deal, the moviegoers do not.
Movies like “Midsommar” (2019), “Blink Twice” (2024) and “The Menu” (2022) work because the cult feels as if it is real and joining seems like a good enough idea to convince the average person to cross the threshold. Also, these cults believe in a framework projected on to life that feels as if it does explain everything once filtered through their mindset. Unfortunately, this film does not stick the landing. Moretti is too self-possessed and not so committed to his beliefs that it seems possible for him to allow himself to get consumed. There is something self-destructive at the heart of every cult that inevitably leads to collapse, and Moretti is not that kind of person. Oblivion and obliteration of identity should always be on the table.
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So the Levelers believe that not everyone is created equal, but everyone can have a divine moment where they become God. The Levelers put on a show so Moretti can get a two for one deal: revenge against his enemies, and the unwitting author of their Bible, Ariel. It is “The Usual Suspects” (1995) of cult movies because their plan goes off without a hitch, and they get what they want while Ariel is unsettled because the followers are everywhere. The Levelers are supposed to exist for a longer time than Moretti, and it would have been nice if it was reflected, but instead it appears as if it revolves around Moretti and began with him.
“Opus” could have improved if Moretti or anyone really seemed as if they could become God, and they were trying to recruit Ariel because they sensed her greatness. Injecting some supernatural elements would have helped like “Kinds of Kindness” (2024). It also would have enhanced the narrative if Stan was executed because he was blocking Ariel’s ascension instead of Moretti hating him. “One and only holistic path to prevent destruction of creativity.” The injury on her hand from the barbed wire is like the scars from opening oysters. Instead, she is a puppet, not a knowing participant or a triumphant unwitting one.
“Opus” does not believe that Ariel is great, not really. If the whole conspiracy was for another person to achieve Godhood, it would have been cathartic and rewarding to see them achieve their success through Ariel regardless of whether she consented. It should have showed her enjoying her success. If she had figured it out on her own, terrific, but “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) set up was too heavy handed and made her seem dumber than she was throughout the entire movie. Green did not have faith in his audience and wanted to spell it out instead of show it. Green is more concerned about keeping Ariel morally pure and Moretti as a mastermind manipulator, but cults are a mess. No plan goes off without a hitch. Ariel’s ambition makes her liable to becoming like Moretti or at least partially culpable. You can be a member of a cult without joining a cult, and exploring why Ariel wanted fame would have been a way to ground the character.
If the story has a fatal flaw, it mocks Moretti because even though Malkovich is fabulous, Moretti going on about being God then performing in the most cringeworthy fashion seems more like satire. At least one of the songs should be good, and while the opening sequence showing how infectious Moretti’s music works, it does not translate when the viewer finally sees a performance. If I don’t walk away from a movie wanting to buy the music, it failed, but Moretti’s wardrobe soared.
