Social media discourse is both a gift and a curse. At times, social media can be the most toxic environment imaginable, and other times, it can be the most delightful as you meet people and discuss topics that become highlights for the rest of your day.
Back in 2015, there was no better example of a stronger side of social media than the Zola Twitter thread. A Detroit waitress, Aziah “Zola” King, posted a 148-tweet thread of a ride to Florida with a fellow exotic dancer. The thread broke Twitter and left many painting pictures in their head of the events that transpired.
Well, thanks to A24, we’re given a new look at the thread with the release of Zola. While adaptations are the norm in Hollywood, never before has a film been adapted directly from a Twitter thread. As director Janicza Bravo states Zola is a transformative roller-coaster ride that is incredibly entertaining, energetic, and downright fascinating.
Zola follows Zola’s titular character (Taylour Paige) as she meets Stefani (Riley Keough), a sex worker, at a restaurant she is currently working at. Following their initial interaction, Stefani and Zola become quick friends as they both bond over pole dancing and find each other’s company pleasant. When Stefani shares information about a strip club in Florida that’s supposedly a cash cow, Zola agrees to a road trip with X (Colman Domingo) and Stefani’s boyfriend, Derrek (Nicholaus Braun).
What works so well with the film is how Bravo’s direction, Jeremy O. Harris’ writing, and Joi McMillion’s editing blend the film’s plot with the actual social media jargon and tweets themselves. Throughout the film, the Tweet sound effect would play to correspond the scene onscreen with one of the messages Zola tweeted on that faithful evening. While small and subtle, this was a nice touch that added to the film’s effectiveness.
Riley Keough and Taylour Paige are magnetic throughout the film. Keough channels her inner Bhad Bhabie’s “Cash Me Outside” over the top persona and, while seen as a risk, really pays off as she brings out Stephanie’s inner turmoil of someone who is lost and unsure of herself. In her early career, Keough continues to impress. (Watch her in Logan Lucky).
Paige is the heart and most important character of the film. These tweets don’t exist without her. She’s the film’s observer and a stand-in for all cinephiles watching the events transpire. While the tweets of the events are forthright, Paige shows us how much Zola’s mind is racing as the tweets continue to arrive. The chemistry between Paige and Keough cannot be talked about enough as they command every viewer’s attention throughout the film.
Where the film falls short is its failure to answer the question of its existence. While the Twitter thread was viral and topical in 2015, I would have liked the film to touch on why the Twitter thread was such a talking point. Was it just plain social media obsession and here today gone tomorrow trend? Was it just a slow evening on Twitter when this thread entered the stratosphere? Those are questions I would have liked to explore.
Zola is a must-see and one of the most entertaining films of the year. A story and film that only comes to life by effectively intertwining social media obsession with cinema. What will the next Zola twitter thread craze be? Only time will tell.
Zola releases in the U.S. on June 30, 2021.
