Zola

Name: Zola
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Crime
Released: June 30, 2021
Duration: 86 min
Rating: 76
Cast: Amelia Rose Monteagudo, Ari'el Stachel, Ben Bladon, Carl Collanus, Colman Domingo

2021

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 35 Ratings

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6.0	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 35 Ratings

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Zola (UK Trailer 1)

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Movie Details & Credits

A24 | Release Date: June 30, 2021 | R

Starring: Amelia Rose Monteagudo, Ari'el Stachel, Ben Bladon, Carl Collanus, Colman Domingo, Dennis Mallen, Jason Mitchell, Megan Hayes, Nasir Rahim, Nelcie Souffrant, Nicholas Braun, Pedro Tavarez Jr., Riley Keough, Steve Heinz, Taylour Paige, Tony Demil, Ts Madison

Movie Facts:

VOD release: July 23, 2021.

Summary: Zola (Taylour Paige), a Detroit waitress, strikes up a new friendship with a customer, Stefani (Riley Keough), who seduces her to join a weekend of dancing and partying in Florida. What at first seems like a glamorous trip full of “hoeism” rapidly transforms into a 48-hour journey involving a nameless pimp, an idiot boyfriend, some TampaZola (Taylour Paige), a Detroit waitress, strikes up a new friendship with a customer, Stefani (Riley Keough), who seduces her to join a weekend of dancing and partying in Florida. What at first seems like a glamorous trip full of “hoeism” rapidly transforms into a 48-hour journey involving a nameless pimp, an idiot boyfriend, some Tampa gangsters and other unexpected adventures in this wild, see-it-to-believe-it tale based on a series of viral, uproarious tweets.… Expand

Director: Janicza Bravo

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 86 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

Aug 6, 2021

At the very end of Janicza Bravo’s Zola, just as you’re struggling to comprehend what on earth the film is supposed to amount to, there is a wonderful moment when you realise that’s the entire point. Read full review

Clint Worthington

Jan 30, 2020

Zola‘s not without its faults. The script is a little too loosy-goosy for its own good, and the last 10-15 minutes are admittedly a lackluster resolution to the high-tension hijinks on display. But until that point, it’s downright thrilling to watch a film breeze through its grimly funny energy with such exuberant confidence, especially with such a new, vibrant voice in Paige. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

Jun 30, 2021

Janicza Bravo prioritizes character and personal eccentricity, in the process truly earning the screenplay’s cutting observations about how social media encapsulates culture’s ability to commercialize anything, especially ourselves. Read full review

Alison Willmore

Jun 30, 2021

The film is about the power of storytelling, and not in the cornball, self-congratulatory sense in which that phrase is normally deployed. Read full review

Brian Truitt

Jun 29, 2021

Oftentimes, the original book is better than its movie version. And while King’s tweetstorm is an infamous Homeric odyssey in the world of 280 characters, Zola is a solid spin, vividly capturing a stripper saga that would have been harrowing to live through, but is fun to sit back and witness. Read full review

Adi Robertson

Feb 25, 2020

While the film doesn’t disguise its origin as a Twitter thread, it generally doesn’t treat it as a gimmick, either — because in 2020, the internet is just where people share the weirdest, funniest, and most frightening moments of their lives. Read full review

Peter Debruge

Jan 25, 2020

Sure, it’s fun to see a movie skewer the vapid soullessness of social media and the unregulated economy of male desire, but Zola ultimately rings hollow. The actors are fearless, and yet, how much do we know about these characters in the end? The answer: something of their values, but almost nothing of their lives. Read full review

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User Reviews

marvfoley

Jul 8, 2021

Well-acted, creatively filmed, with a great use of music. I was fascinated by the relationship and the effective weilding of sex and business between two smart women trying to rise above and escape their circumstances.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

marcmyworks

Jul 27, 2021

Zola is a strangely real and anxiety driven film with an original premise. Strangely fitting for 2021, having an entire film based on a series of tweets from a chaotic weekend.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LatinCritic13

Jul 13, 2021

What is a single word to describe Zola? Dazzling. Believe it or not, it's equally good as American Honey and Hustlers in a way that explores freedom and revelation. The cinematography by The Girlfriend Experience's Ari Wegner is a beauty that can't be slept on as Riley Keough and first timerWhat is a single word to describe Zola? Dazzling. Believe it or not, it's equally good as American Honey and Hustlers in a way that explores freedom and revelation. The cinematography by The Girlfriend Experience's Ari Wegner is a beauty that can't be slept on as Riley Keough and first timer Taylour Paige shines throughout this biopic that inspired a series of tweets that made Twitter talk in 2015.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

davemelbourne58

Jul 4, 2021

Zola tells an interesting "cautionary" tale between 2 young ladies trying to get by. Like Mom always says "If the deal looks to good to be true, it probably is. Watching this movie made me very sad. I'm glad I don't have a young daughter. After watching Zola, I kept singing to myself thatZola tells an interesting "cautionary" tale between 2 young ladies trying to get by. Like Mom always says "If the deal looks to good to be true, it probably is. Watching this movie made me very sad. I'm glad I don't have a young daughter. After watching Zola, I kept singing to myself that old 3 Dog Night son: "Mama Told Me Not to Come." Great lead performances and cast. Glad Zola escaped with most of her dignity intact.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

zembowerboy

Aug 4, 2021

The savagely abrupt ending leaves much to be desired, and it may not add up to much, but Zola rises on the strength of its cast, especially Riley Keough, Taylor Paige, and Nicholas "Gregg the Egg" Braun. At times hilarious, only to take hard turns into some rather dark territory. Zola isThe savagely abrupt ending leaves much to be desired, and it may not add up to much, but Zola rises on the strength of its cast, especially Riley Keough, Taylor Paige, and Nicholas "Gregg the Egg" Braun. At times hilarious, only to take hard turns into some rather dark territory. Zola is fun, a bit dirty, a bit depressing, but thankfully never exploitative or smutty despite its content. Definitely worth a watch at home on a hot summer's day with lots of weed.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

moviemitch96

Jul 9, 2021

Here's a peculiar little indie that was adapted from and based off a nearly 150-Tweet-long Twitter thread that went viral back in the Fall of 2015 that chronicles the misadventures of a stripper named Aziah 'Zola' King who travels to Florida with a fellow stripper in order to make extraHere's a peculiar little indie that was adapted from and based off a nearly 150-Tweet-long Twitter thread that went viral back in the Fall of 2015 that chronicles the misadventures of a stripper named Aziah 'Zola' King who travels to Florida with a fellow stripper in order to make extra money, but gets caught up in a dangerous gang affair instead. First off, I balked at the idea of an entire film being based off a Twitter thread, but also found the idea potentially intriguing as well. And while the film undeniably has flair and swagger to it, it mostly just lands squarely in the middle of just another "white trash cinema" flick. It's a film that deals with trashy people that are very difficult to sympathize with or care about, contains several sleazy sex sequences, one in the midway point of the film particularly that I really wish I could unsee, and seemingly aimless direction throughout that doesn't really do this outrageous story justice (I read the thread before going to see this, and I simply felt underwhelmed with this film's retelling of it compared to the actual thread itself.) The only real positives here is Taylour Paige's lead performance as the titular Zola, and the film does a fine job of capturing the glamorous but often times sketchy seedy underbelly of Tampa, Florida. But overall, it's flashy but mostly just seems to fall back on its own bling for the sake of show and to compensate for lack of substance.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Thomass

Aug 14, 2021

Weird is the best thing I can say about this movie. The fact it came from Twitter feeds explains but does not excuse the lack of dramatic impact, character development, etc.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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