Opus is the debut film from Mark Anthony Green, a movie that yet again taps into our toxic obsession with celebrity culture and the rich while exploring what happens when admiration curdles into something far more unsettling.

Thirty years after disappearing, a legendary pop star, delightfully played by John Malkovich, invites a young writer, portrayed by Ayo Edebiri, into his isolated world. What begins as an exclusive story quickly spirals into something darker, as she becomes entangled in his eerie cult of followers and a twisted plan she can’t escape.

Opus marks the feature film debut of writer Mark Anthony Green. Before turning to filmmaking, he worked as a journalist for the U.S. magazine GQ. While the film has faced its share of scrutiny from the press, many deeming it an overly ambitious undertaking for a first-time director like Green, it stands as a bold entry into the cinema.

The opening scenes draw you in as Ariel struggles with her career, criticized by a friend for being “middle as fuck.” Green adds pop culture cameos (Wolf Blitzer, Bill Burr, Lenny Kravitz), but their presence tends to feel a bit lost in a world that quickly becomes fake and disconnected, having an overly quirky visual style and logic-free escalation. Something that could make you both like – and dislike – the movie

And perhaps this highlights the absurdity of the world of the rich. Opus deserves credit for its bold exploration of celebrity obsession and the eerie, unpredictable atmosphere Green is able to create throughout the whole film.