Zola

A24 | Release Date: June 30, 2021

6.2	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 65 Ratings

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TVJerryJul 6, 2021

In 2015, A’Ziah “Zola” Wells wrote 148 tweets that chronicled the story of her bizarre trip to Tampa. Their popularity resulted in this film, which stars Taylour Paige as a Detroit waitress who befriends a customer (Riley Keough). Soon,In 2015, A’Ziah “Zola” Wells wrote 148 tweets that chronicled the story of her bizarre trip to Tampa. Their popularity resulted in this film, which stars Taylour Paige as a Detroit waitress who befriends a customer (Riley Keough). Soon, they’re off for a weekend of exotic dancing that turns into much more. The narrative has an offhand casual feel, primarily due to the sometimes stunned and always insightful VO from Paige. Pile on a bunch of enjoyably over-the-top, fearless performances led by Riley Keogh and you have a parade of original characters. There are short montages and lots of quick cuts to keep the chaotic pace. Mica Levy’s score, full of sound effect punctuation and hardass songs, adds to the idiosyncratic appeal of this film and the characters’ journeys. Original, unique and slyly entertaining.… Expand

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moviemitch96Jul 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 FloridaHere'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

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JLuis_001Jul 24, 2021

With just 85 minutes, and based on a viral Twitter thread, Zola is a film that believes it's saying something interesting or noticeable when in fact it's no more incoherent, inconsequential, forgettable and irrelevant than the thing thatWith just 85 minutes, and based on a viral Twitter thread, Zola is a film that believes it's saying something interesting or noticeable when in fact it's no more incoherent, inconsequential, forgettable and irrelevant than the thing that inspire its creation.

And considering that very thing that inspired it, and with a generation of people that's perpetually staring at their phones for a new drama, how could they have thought this would get more attention?

Good showcase for its two protagonists, but that's as good as it gets.

There's now two strikes on a row for A24. I'm a bit worried.… Expand

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paltareinaNov 16, 2021

i had high expectations but i feel that the film didn't do justice to the original story. maybe because it was just a thread on twitter. at the end I kept questioning, what is the purpose of this film?

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JimmySpeakerDec 6, 2021

Zola is a unique experience, to say the least. Another release from the up-and-coming A24, Zola is edgy and raw, but at times too abrasive. Performances by Taylour Paige and Riley Keough are acceptable, but leave depth to be desired. ColmanZola is a unique experience, to say the least. Another release from the up-and-coming A24, Zola is edgy and raw, but at times too abrasive. Performances by Taylour Paige and Riley Keough are acceptable, but leave depth to be desired. Colman Domingo once again impresses on the silver screen, while the rest of the cast leaves not such a great memory. While it has its moments of modern Gen-Y/Gen-Z hypersexualized, crime thriller humor, Zola lacks a definitive story containing any emotion or psychological depth; which is ironic for a movie based on a Twitter thread. It doesn't feel like I'm watching a movie about the Twitter thread, it feels like I'm watching a movie about people trying to Live Action Roleplay the Twitter thread. A24's cinematography aside, perhaps it should've kept to Twitter.… Expand

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rmurray847Aug 10, 2023

ZOLA may finally be that movie where I have to say "I think I'm just the wrong audience for this film." I'm a 58 year old male, but I've been a huge film-goer my whole life. I'm a pretty avid consumer of film & TV. I have a Fine Arts degreeZOLA may finally be that movie where I have to say "I think I'm just the wrong audience for this film." I'm a 58 year old male, but I've been a huge film-goer my whole life. I'm a pretty avid consumer of film & TV. I have a Fine Arts degree in Performing Arts. I consider myself to be very open-minded about a wide variety of film: if it's "good" I'll watch it. This is all just to try to set up my feeling of disconnectedness with ZOLA.

Based on a series of tweets, it tells the ostensibly true story of Zola, a young African American stripper in Detroit, who develops an immediate and intense friendship with Stefani, a white stripper who encourages Zola to travel with her, her boyfriend Derrek (Nicholas Braun from SUCCESSION) and her pimp (known as X and played by the always engaging Colman Domingo) to Miami to dance at some high dollar clubs. Zola doesn't fully understand that the hope is she'll be agreeable to some prostitution as well once she gets to Miami.

The tone of the film is of wild exuberance and empowerment. Taylour Paige, as Zola, is a paradox, a composed free-spirit. A woman who feels great about being a stripper, but also is very strong and sure about her boundaries. She's smart and fun and funny. Wary & world-weary yet somehow naïve. On the other hand, you've got Stephani (Riley Keough in a role that would have put her on the map if more people had seen the film), a free-spirit with seemingly no boundaries. She'll do anything with her body (or allow anything to be done) for money. And she literally can't understand why her boyfriend Derrek would have any feelings of jealousy or unhappiness about it.

The plot of the movie involves, to a large degree, Zola's growing awareness of the situation she has gotten herself into. She's expected to be a prostitute. X is more dangerous than he originally appeared. And outside forces have taken a real interest in both women, and not with good motivations. Friendships and relationships are tested and reconstructed into new shapes. There are certainly scenes of immense tension, but the overall feel of the movie is that these 4 companions are mostly on a bit of a lark. The loud music, smiles and garish but fun costumes invite smiles and enjoyment. The "bad" things are just minor obstacles to be overcome. Being a prostitute is a minor life choice and being a stripper is a downright honorable profession.

I get it. Zola, in particular, makes her boundaries clear and also makes clear that stripping is an empowering way to make a living and to be true to herself. And it's in this realm that the film begins to lose me. I don't get "sex work" as empowering. I understand that difficult circumstances, abuse and ignorance can lead to this dangerous line of work. But for a bright, intelligent young lady to make that choice willingly, even defiantly, is tough for me. And the abuses Stefani endures are not minor. I won't detail them here, but in one night she makes $8000...a figure we clearly understand means she has slept with 16 different men. She's barely bothered by it; just a little tired. Is that "good?" The film argues that it isn't a real problem if the woman is in "control" of the situation. But is she really in control or is it just an illusion (to say nothing of the fact that her pimp, X, still gets virtually all the money in the end)? How is she NOT being exploited and used? Later, she's driven to an encounter with a group of men that surely is just objectively distasteful. But everyone emerges with a smile. Basically, the tone of the film eliminates any feeling that we need to feel sorry for, or worry about, these two women. They are strong, independent women (one of whom still has a pimp). I'm sorry but I struggle to accept that "thesis." And that's, finally, why I wonder if this film has just passed me by due to my age and circumstance. I did not enjoy or appreciate being asked to applaud the subjugation of these women. The film argues, I think, that they are not being subjugated. We are to just accept that one has boundaries, the other does not (it seems) and please just instead focus on the sometimes amusing and sometimes scary plot points that happen to Zola that were doubtless the focus of her famous series of tweets.

The 4 lead performances were all outstanding (although I had to put on the subtitles to understand Keough's crazy accent) and full of energy and commitment. I was fairly unfamiliar with Taylour Paige, but she's certainly on my list of actors of great interest now. Domingo is always great fun, whether menacing or playing a "kinder" role and even Braun brings a schlubby dignity to his role. The film is short, fast-moving and crisply edited. For a low budget film, the production values are high. But finally, for me, it was in the service of a movie that made me uncomfortable for what I see as the wrong reasons.… Expand

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