Opus Parent Guide

Pop sensation Moretti (John Malkovich) has been out of the public eye for decades. No appearances, no new albums, complete radio silence. Naturally, then, his announcement that he’ll be releasing a new album sets the music world on fire. For rookie journalist Ariel (Ayo Edebiri), it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. She somehow scored an invite to a VIP listening party with Moretti himself, along with half a dozen other journalists, influencers, and TV personalities.

Once she arrives at Moretti’s isolated compound in the southern Utah desert, Ariel realizes that the album might not be the biggest thing going on. Apart from Moretti, the compound is inhabited by hundreds of people who describe themselves as “Levelists” – a sort of philosophical/religious movement that values art and creativity. Moretti claims to be a Levelist as well – but what does that really mean? Ariel intends to find out.

In spite of a fun cast and a tried and true premise, this movie never seems to find its legs. The finer details of the broader concept never quite materialize and the story collapses under itself like an overambitious soufflé. The bigger problem is that the screenwriters don’t give Malkovich all that much to do. He wears a silly outfit, has a dance number, and says some generically ominous things. What a tragic underuse of John Malkovich and his capacity for the unhinged, bizarre, and off-putting.

On the other hand, the pacing is even, the runtime is reasonable, and Ayo Edebiri is a joy to watch. She has large, expressive eyes that communicate so much to the audience without the screenwriter having to lift a finger – lucky for the audience. She really keeps the movie on track.

Obviously, Opus isn’t a family film, and the violence, profanity, and sexual content all reflect this. You’ll find plenty of all three, and some limited substance use on the side to balance it all out. Content is the least of my issues, though. It feels like the film was afraid of being too weird, and I think that’s why it doesn’t quite land. It’s clearly got the bones for a weird movie that was forcibly mellowed into a more mainstream offering. If the film had been just 20% stranger, I think it would be a lot more enjoyable – but at least we’ve got Ayo Edebiri.