Zola (2021) is an A24 film that fully embraces the chaotic, anything-goes energy of its source material—a viral Twitter thread detailing a Florida road trip gone terribly wrong. Directed by Janicza Bravo, the film blends Scorsese-like brashness with Sean Baker-style realism, offering a flashy, unfiltered look at the underground world of sex work. At times, it’s as glamorous as it is grimy, a fever dream that refuses to look away from its characters’ choices, even when things spiral out of control.
Taylour Paige leads the film as Zola, a Detroit waitress who gets lured into a supposedly lucrative dancing gig by Riley Keough’s Stefani, a character who immediately sets off red flags with her over-the-top persona. The film leans heavily into its Euphoria-like aesthetics, from the neon-soaked cinematography to the hypnotic score, making it feel like part of the same cultural wave rather than a completely new statement.
The supporting performances are where Zola becomes more of a mixed bag. Nicholas Braun (best known as Cousin Greg from Succession) plays Stefani’s clingy, clueless boyfriend, and while his awkward energy works, it also feels like a slightly off-kilter casting choice. Meanwhile, Colman Domingo delivers the film’s most menacing performance as the unpredictable, often terrifying figure controlling Stefani’s work—bringing shades of his role in Euphoria to the screen.
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The movie’s best moment comes in its midpoint shift, where Zola’s perspective momentarily disappears, forcing the audience into a different, more unsettling reality. It’s a brilliant structural choice, but beyond that, the film often feels like a collection of its influences rather than something entirely its own. It’s an entertaining ride, but it pulls so obviously from its contemporaries that it loses some of its punch.
Not the best A24 film of 2021, but certainly the most unabashedly horny.
Rating: 6/10
Zola (2021)
- Cast: Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Colman Domingo, Nicholas Braun
- Director: Janicza Bravo
- Genre: Comedy, Crime
- Runtime: 86 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: June 30, 2021