Movie Review: ‘Anora’

by | Nov 1, 2024 | Featured Post, Movie Reviews, Movies | 0 comments


Greetings again from the darkness. Watching ANORA and EMILIA PEREZ in the same week mere days after complaining out loud that it hasn’t been a great year for movies could inspire me to complain about everything in hopes that the rewards are similar. Since I’ve already reviewed the latter, let’s get to Sean Baker’s outlandish and innovative film. We can’t use the word ‘strange’ or ‘offbeat’ to describe this one, since Baker excels at presenting those on the fringes of society. Proof is provided via his superb previous films RED ROCKET (2021), THE FLORIDA PROJECT (2017), TANGERINE (2015), and STARLET (2012).

Mikey Madison (“Better Things”, ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD) crushes the role of Ani (short for Anora), a sex worker and exotic dancer pushing hard to make ends meet. It appears her ship has come in when Ivan (Mark Eidelshtein) pops into the club, takes a liking to Ani, and throws money around like he’s the spoiled son of a Russian Oligarch, which he is. Paying big bucks to have her be his American girlfriend for a week means Ani attends a raucous party and gets to frolic with Ivan in his ultra-modern seaside mansion. A spur-of-the-moment trip to Las Vegas means lots of partying and an equally spur-of-the-moment decision by Ani and Ivan to get married.

As you might imagine, this Cinderella story leaves Ani with a tarnished slipper. When Ivan’s parents find out about his disgracing the family by marrying an American sex worker, they send their local Armenian fixer Toros (Karren Karagulien, TANGERINE) to get the marriage annulled and repair the damage. Toros works with his brother Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) and local hired help Igor (Yura Borisov) to start the process. What ensues breaks many laws, but also shifts the film’s tone as Ani fights (literally) the inevitable and puts up a valiant effort to save her marriage and new life of love and luxury. The brilliance here is with Igor and his perceptiveness to Ani’s feelings. Not only does this add complexity and emotion to the ongoings, but it also has an impact on the gut-punch ending.

This is innovative storytelling that refuses to shy away from the tough stuff or the easy stuff. We see Ani interacting with her co-workers and clientele at the club and it all seems as realistic as we’d expect. Ivan’s shenanigans as the rich kid out for a good time are certainly believable, as is Ani’s refusal to release her grip on her fantasy lottery win. Not enough can be said about Mikey Madison’s performance. Her dancing, her profanity, her acceptance of love, and her battling til the end are the heart of the film and the heart of a survivor. Mark Eidelshtein captures extreme privilege, and it’s a pleasure to see Mickey O’Hagan (TANGERINE, STARLET) back on screen – if only in a limited role as a Nevada clerk. We are so fortunate that filmmaker Sean Baker continues to enrich our moviegoing with his projects of hope, humor, and sadness.

The film opens in select theaters on November 1, 2024.

David Ferguson
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