Hate it or love it, Francis Ford Coppola's “Megalopolis” is making waves in the world of cinema—although not exactly as intended. The legendary director's ambitious project, starring Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, and Nathalie Emmanuel, has sparked debates across platforms, from Reddit threads to TikTok trends. Released on December 20, 2023, “Megalopolis” is being hailed as an instant cult classic, though perhaps for reasons Coppola never imagined.
The film's unexpected popularity comes from its polarizing style. Vanity Fair reports that TikTok users have adopted “Megalopolis” as a new favorite, flooding the platform with humorous reactions, mostly focused on Adam Driver's now-iconic delivery of the line, “Go back to the club.” But does this buzz signal love for the movie, or is it all in jest?
The film's reception has been baffling. Critics are divided, while audiences are unsure whether to laugh or marvel. Despite a D+ CinemaScore and a mediocre 5.4/10 on IMDb, viewers are flocking to theaters, partly out of sheer curiosity and partly to experience its weird, sometimes surreal tone firsthand. The film is reportedly set to lose Coppola over $100 million, but financial loss doesn't seem to deter the film's growing internet fame. Cult classic films often defy conventional measures of success, and “Megalopolis” seems poised to follow in those quirky footsteps.
TikTok users and Reddit discussions have embraced the film's so-called “unintentional” humor. Viewers have compared its visual style to a Linkin Park music video and shared memes featuring the film's most bizarre moments. Some wonder whether the comedic elements—intended or not—were Coppola's artistic vision. After all, creating such eccentric moments might just be deliberate for a director of his caliber. But others argue that the humor comes from the film's serious attempt at delivering grandiose, philosophical themes that instead land as campy or awkward.
Michael Schulman from The New Yorker offered insight after attending a screening, remarking that the audience “cackled at the screen like it was Mommie Dearest or Showgirls,” implying that “Megalopolis” might fall into the same category of films so campy, they become beloved.
Although critics remain split on whether “Megalopolis” has any true artistic merit, one thing is clear: the film has found its audience in a generation raised on irony, memes, and an appreciation for the absurd. Whether Coppola aimed for this reception is a question we may never get answered. But, in the grand tradition of films that endure in popular culture, “Megalopolis” is likely to have a long and strange afterlife, fueled by TikTok clips and internet fandoms.
Personally, I find the growing fascination with “Megalopolis” to be both amusing and telling of modern film culture. While some may dismiss it as an artistic misfire, the cult status it's gaining suggests that sometimes, a film doesn't need to be traditionally “good” to be relevant. It's clear that “Megalopolis” has tapped into something, whether intentional or not, that resonates with a digital generation more interested in meme-worthy moments than classic cinema tropes.
Do you think Coppola intended “Megalopolis” to be this campy, or is it an accidental masterpiece? Share your thoughts!
