Anora

We’re all familiar with the old adage that, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. It’s a notion that applies not only to what can happen in everyday life, but also to what shows up on the big screen, as the latest feature from writer-director Sean Baker illustrates. This widely acclaimed indie offering follows the misadventures of a Brooklyn lap dancer/sex worker (Mikey Madison) who falls for the insanely rich, self-absorbed, wildly irresponsible son of a Russian oligarch (Mark Eydelshteyn). Together they take the plunge into an edgy, wacked-out fairy tale, a dark storybook romance strung out on steroids, quaaludes and crack. Their whirlwind affair soon lands them in Las Vegas, culminating in a green card wedding that junior’s mobster parents (Darya Ekamasova, Aleksey Serebryakov) want annulled at any cost, even if it means calling on their oily, bumbling posse of cronies and heavies (Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Yura Borisov) to lean on the alleged lovebirds. But achieving that goal ultimately proves more difficult than imagined. As a cross-country chase ensues, a string of frenzied events leaves mom, dad and friends infuriated and the Gothamite Cinderella disillusioned, having erroneously thought she’d truly hit the jackpot this time. From this, one might easily think this premise has a solid foundation for an outrageous, uproarious comedy, but, sadly, the film lives up to its potential only some of the time. To be sure, there is some genuinely hysterical, wonderfully inventive material here, but it only hits the mark about half the time. What’s more, much of the story (especially in the film’s first half) is predictable, almost clichéd, with some bits dragging on needlessly long. Indeed, I’m somewhat mystified as to what all the critical fuss is about, something perhaps best evidenced by the picture’s capture of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the event’s highest honor. I readily admit to being a fan of Baker’s work, having immensely enjoyed his previous efforts “Red Rocket” (2021), “The Florida Project” (2017) and “Tangerine” (2015). But I’m genuinely at a loss to understand the level of praise that’s been lavished on this release. It’s a capable film in a number of respects, but the filmmaker clearly has done better, and those prior offerings make better viewing options in my opinion. Don’t fall for all the hype here, as this really is one of those cases of something being too good to be true.

"Ani" (Mikey Madison) works as a private dancer in New York when she is asked by her boss to go look after some visiting Russians. That's when she encounters the young "Vanya" (Mark Eydelshteyn). He's pretty drunk, completely stoned and has more money than God. He wants a dance, he wants much more - but that's not allowed in the club, so he invites her to his luxury pad next day for fun. She actually quite likes his youthful exuberance - and his cash - and after a few days, a Russian sable coat, and a trip to Vegas, they find themselves marred. Social media now takes an hand and his oligarch mother hears news that her son has married an hooker. Livid, she instructs her local fixer "Toros" (Karren Karagulian) to sort the mess out. He duly sends his two enforcers to the house where all hell promptly breaks loose. "Garnick" (Vache Tovmasyan) and "Tom" (Anton Bitter) are merely to detain the pair until their boss arrives to insist that marriage is going to be annulled; "Ani" is having none of that and "Vanya" - well he's just a little bit conflicted and quickly things start to go pear-shaped! This film starts off strongly with an entertaining courtship scenario played out between two actors who really do look like they are enjoying themselves. Eydelshteyn delivers enthusiastically and acrobatically, there's loads of sex and quite witty dialogue that plays nicely on the language barriers. Once the second phase of the film starts, though, it runs out of steam a little. "Vanya" doesn't feature so much and the story becomes a little less engaging as the rather too gentle thugs and the increasingly irate girl try to get everyone to the courthouse for the ruling before his angry mother arrives. That leaves us with too much overacting from Karagulian and some increasingly implausible scenarios as the air is gradually let out of the thing and it comes to end rather disappointingly. At it's best, though, the first hour is quickly paced and takes an amiable swipe at the sex trade and the players who make and take from it. Certainly worth a watch, it just hasn't quite the courage of it's initial convictions.

Anora is a film that starts off strong, pulling you in with an intriguing setup and a well-paced first act. It follows a story that keeps you invested, blending drama with some unexpected humor. The second act stretches a bit longer than needed, but it's clear that was intentional to build atmosphere and let certain themes play out. While the pacing is deliberate, it sometimes feels like it's lingering in places that don't add much depth to the characters. That being said, the buildup is engaging, even if the payoff leaves something to be desired. Sean Baker's directing is solid, capturing a raw, almost documentary-like feel that makes the film feel real and immersive. He knows how to make everyday settings feel alive and uses long takes effectively. The cinematography complements this, keeping things grounded with natural lighting and handheld shots that add an almost voyeuristic feel to the story. It’s visually well-crafted, even if it doesn’t aim for anything particularly stylized. The way the camera lingers on certain moments adds weight to the film's themes, even when the script doesn’t fully explore them. Mikey Madison delivers a standout performance, carrying much of the film. She brings a layered energy to the role, making her character feel both confident and vulnerable when needed. The supporting cast does their job well, but the script doesn't give them much depth to work with. That’s one of the film’s weaknesses, while it sets up an interesting premise and characters, it doesn’t fully flesh them out. You get a sense of their motivations, but not much beyond that. The dialogue is sharp in some moments but feels underdeveloped in others, leaving certain interactions feeling a bit hollow. The score and sound design are subtle, used more for atmosphere than standout moments. The film relies heavily on natural sounds and ambient noise, which works well for its grounded approach. It enhances the realism but doesn't do much to elevate the emotions of the film. Overall, Anora is a well-directed and well-acted film that keeps you engaged, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing. If you’re looking for a character-driven story with a raw, unfiltered feel, it’s worth a watch, but don’t expect a big payoff in the end.

<em>'Anora'</em> is an absolute cracker! The film is unadulterated chaos, I honestly needed the silentness of it ending so I could relax. As usual, I'm not one to judge it on its deep-rooted meaning or whatever, I'll leave that to others, all I can say is that it's a blast and I unequivocally loved it. Mikey Madison's performance is sensational, quite the showing indeed! Apparently I've seen her in three other things (much less prominent roles, admittedly) before, evidently I don't remember her from those - but safe to say, I won't be forgetting Madison from this at any point. Superb! Away from the star performer, Mark Eydelshteyn makes the most out of his role. The trio of Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan and Yura Borisov are great comedic support. I've seen Aleksei Serebryakov here and there down the years and he always plays the same roles, I like him though. The 139 minutes go by in a flash, with the utterly chaotic nature it is no surprise. It isn't the most difficult movie to predict given that you are waiting for the crap to hit the fan, but how it gets to that point is a wild ride to witness - the concluding scene is stand out, too. I still have three more of the nominees to watch, but this overtakes <em>'The Substance'</em> as the film that would hypothetically get my vote for Best Picture; not that I take much value from that (or any other) awards ceremony. It'll take some beating!

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Despite a very rough start, “Anora” ultimately offers a unique and entertaining exploration of the humanity behind sex work and the complexities of love, pain, and trauma. I was so close to giving up on the film during its excruciating opening thirty minutes, which I found dull, grating, and gratuitous. The early part of the movie is laden with an unnecessary and gratuitous parade of explicit scenes and a focus on unlikable characters doing uninteresting things. Now I am thankful that I didn’t storm out of the theater, because the eventual payoff is more than worth the investment. As I reflect on the film, I’ve come to the realization that the style and tone of the film’s opening half hour might be more intentional than I first thought. Writer and director Sean Baker, known for his ability to capture the lives of marginalized people with empathy and complexity in his previous works “The Florida Project” and “Tangerine,” appears to be making a deliberate statement. The first act, with its emphasis on the superficial, transactional view of sex work, feels almost intentionally alienating, highlighting how society often reduces sex workers to mere objects of desire that exist solely to be used, abused, and discarded. It’s designed to make viewers uncomfortable, mostly because it seems to be a critique of how these people are seen as less than human. Sex workers like Anora are often dismissed as disposable rather than as individuals with depth and feelings. Once the film transitions into the second act, it gains momentum and its true heartbeat emerges. The focus shifts to Anora (Mikey Madison), a young sex worker from Brooklyn who impulsively marries a powerful Russian oligarch’s playboy son, Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn). As news of the marriage reaches Russia, it threatens to derail her new life. Ivan’s parents are infuriated and head to New York to have the union annulled. The plot sounds like a simple and goofy romantic comedy, but it becomes more layered as the film progresses. Baker excels in depicting characters on the fringes of society, and Anora is no exception. She’s flawed, complicated, and completely human in her desire to be happy, safe, and loved. As we get to know the character better, her strength, resilience, and vulnerability shines through. It’s a real testament to how much Baker understands his characters and the environments they inhabit. They are never caricatures but relatable, normal people caught up in difficult, often tragic circumstances. And this, I think, is where the film really succeeds. It’s a serious story that takes an unexpected turn when a trio of bumbling criminal characters show up, adding some much-needed levity and energy to the film. The comedic angle is strange but also highly entertaining, which provides a nice contrast to the tension-filled dramatic elements. The humor balances the more serious undertones of the story and injects an unexpected freshness into the film, making it easier (and a lot more fun) to invest in Anora’s journey. What’s really going to have audiences talking is the ending, and it’s the place where the film leaves its most notable mark. I can imagine the final frame will be analyzed and discussed and misunderstood, but it’s one of the most profound, heartbreaking, and touching conclusions I’ve seen this year. WARNING: I am issuing a spoiler alert for the next paragraph. Please stop reading now if you’ve not yet seen the film. When Igor (Yura Borisov) and Anora are together in the final act, this isn’t a typical “rescue” or “knight in shining armor” trope that you’d expect to find in a romantic film. Their sad and painful attempt at intimacy is a deeply meaningful and emotional recognition between two people who have been hurt by the world in similar ways. It’s a poignant reminder that love and healing often come from shared experiences of pain, and that empathy can transcend even the most complicated circumstances. It’s just so heartbreaking and sad, and I’m not sure there’s another film that’s so accurately or sensitively conveyed a person’s haunting emotional wounds with such authenticity. It goes without saying that despite a miserable opening, “Anora” ultimately won me over. This is a flawed but compelling story about a woman reclaiming her agency, confronting the societal labels placed on her, and finding something profoundly human in a world that seeks to strip her of it. By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

Sean Baker's Oscar-winning "Anora" presents a peculiar paradox of contemporary cinema: a film celebrated for its supposed boundary-pushing that ultimately offers little beyond its taboo subject matter. At 139 minutes, Baker's tale of a sex worker who briefly marries into Russian wealth before facing brutal rejection stretches a thin premise far beyond its natural breaking point. Mikey Madison delivers a performance of remarkable depth, finding nuanced humanity in a character that the screenplay itself seems uninterested in fully exploring. Her work transcends the material, suggesting emotional complexities the script merely gestures at. Madison deserves every accolade for creating a compelling person where the screenplay offers only a situation. The film's moments of genuine comedy provide welcome relief but highlight the fundamental problem: "Anora" mistakes setting (sex work) for substance. When compared to Jean-Luc Godard's "Vivre sa Vie," which used prostitution as a lens to examine profound questions of autonomy, capitalism, and gender, Baker's film feels superficial. Godard achieved more philosophical depth in 83 minutes than Baker manages in over two hours. Contemporary cinema increasingly confuses progressive subject matter with progressive thinking. Merely depicting marginalized experiences without offering fresh insight or formal innovation becomes a hollow exercise. One cannot help but wonder whether "Anora" received accolades for what it attempted to say rather than what it actually achieved. The central narrative - a woman from difficult circumstances discovering she can be loved for herself - is neither original nor developed with particular insight. What might have been a focused, powerful short film instead becomes a meandering feature that suggests profundity without delivering it. Baker's technical competence is evident, but technical skill alone cannot disguise the absence of a compelling artistic vision. "Anora" ultimately represents cinema that has forgotten the difference between depicting life and illuminating it.

Given I haven't seen that many of the Oscar nominated movies of 2024, I can't really say Anora was deserving of the Best Picture win, however I did quite liked this blend of dark comedy and drama and Mikey Madison was amazing with her duality of Ani and Anora. Not really surprising as I did think she was one of the highlights of 2022's Scream. All in all a solid film from Sean Baker and at some point I want to check out The Florida Project. **4.0/5**