The Fascist States of America – In “The Change”, Jan Komasa depicts the end of US democracy.

The familiar image of the US flag has been altered only slightly. The blue field with the fifty stars representing the various states has been moved from the upper left to the center and is now surrounded by white and red stripes. This modified flag, intended as a symbol of national unity, first adorns a book cover in Jan Komasa's "The Change," then flies in front of a growing number of homes, and finally on the roofs of government buildings.

Over five years, the film traces the systemic transformation in the USA from a liberal democracy to a fascist state. When the screenplay was written, the story was presumably intended as a warning. But the political reality in the USA now exhibits a frightening number of parallels to the fictional future depicted in this film.

"The Change" tells the story of this dramatic transformation not from the perspective of power and politics, but from the perspective of a family torn apart by these events. It begins with the couple's silver wedding anniversary, celebrated with family and a large circle of friends.

Ellen Taylor (Diane Lane) is a professor at the prestigious Georgetown University, her husband Paul (Kyle Chandler) runs a thriving restaurant in Washington, D.C. The spacious house on the Potomac River, where the couple raised four children, exudes familial stability.

The eldest daughter, Anna (Madeline Brewer), has just made her breakthrough as a politically provocative, queer stand-up comedian. The younger daughter, Cynthia (Zoey Deutch), and her husband, Rob (Daryl McCormack), are lawyers specializing in environmental law.

And the youngest daughter, Birdie (McKenna Grace), who still lives with her parents, is interested in biology. Only son Josh (Dylan O'Brien), an aspiring science fiction writer, can't quite find his footing. He's brought his new girlfriend, Liz (Phoebe Dynevor), who, at the beginning of the film, is practicing her greetings for her future in-laws in front of the bathroom mirror with a forced smile.

Ellen soon recognizes Liz as a former student who had attracted attention for writing anti-democratic seminar papers and was expelled from the university. Liz has now developed her views into a comprehensive manifesto that calls for a societal shift towards greater unity and an anti-democratic "no-party system".

Two years later, her book had sold more than ten million copies and sparked a political movement that is pushing for systemic change with the support of the dubious "Cumberland Company".

Spanning various family celebrations, "The Change" tells the story of the direct impact of a fascist-like transformation on family structures. After Anna narrowly escapes an assassination attempt on stage, she goes into hiding and finds herself at the top of the new regime's wanted list. Ellen, a staunch liberal professor, loses her university position, and Paul's restaurant also faces financial difficulties.

Josh, who has transformed himself from an unsuccessful writer within the movement into a high-ranking official, also wields his power at family dinners. Meanwhile, young Birdie and her boyfriend secretly participate in anti-government demonstrations.

With a clearly metaphorical intention, “The Change” shows within a familial microcosm how societal division paves the way for fascist movements and with what subtle as well as overt violence the new rulers persecute their opponents.

Komasa deliberately avoids specific political details. The movement's ideology is only vaguely outlined, there is no leader figure, and uniformed men appear only in the final scene, resorting to armed force. Komasa primarily exemplifies the psychological mechanisms triggered in individual family members by the political developments.

The political here is simultaneously deeply personal, and therein lies the film's compelling strength. "The Change" is the first English-language production by the Polish director, who was nominated for an Oscar for "Corpus Christi" (2019). Komasa comes from a country that has experienced Nazi occupation, four decades of Soviet-style socialism, and most recently, years of rule by the right-wing populist Law and Justice party (PiS), which eroded democracy.

These experiences are clearly reflected in his dystopian vision of a fascist takeover in the USA. With unwavering consistency, "The Change" shows how rapidly and with what consequences a democratic society can collapse – a grim scenario that current news images from the USA are approaching more closely every day.

"The Change", directed by Jan Komasa, starring Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Phoebe Dynavor, 112 minutes, rated 12 (in theaters on November 6th)