Anora Movie Review
Nathan Swank
November 2nd, 2024
ANORA follows a young sex worker (played by Mikey Madison) from Brooklyn who meets an even younger spoiled rich boy from Russia. The two have an exciting, sweet meet cute beginning that turns into a chance at her very own Cinderella story. However, once news of this impulsive love story reaches the boy’s powerful and wealthy parents in Russia, the tone shifts to a reality check to stop this fairy tale ending.
My description is purposely a bit coy compared to the film’s promotional plotline, leaving out details that I think are important to one’s initial watch. I knew very little about ANORA going in and I’m thankful for it. However, it is important to state that ANORA earns a hard R-rating, opening the film inside a graphically depicted gentleman’s club and never holds back in the world of a sex worker.
Despite the jarring sexual nature of the film, writer and director Sean Baker may have simultaneously created one of the funniest and saddest films of the year. Winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival, ANORA is certainly in the running as an awards contender. However, I’m not sure if the subject matter will have Academy voters embracing it as a winner. But one thing is for sure, Mikey Madison is a new Hollywood force who delivers one of the fiercest performances of the year.
ANORA is an interesting movie in that it covers many genres and it covers each of them exceptionally well. The first act is a bit of a love story, the second act has a sense of uneasy danger and horror lurking while also turning into a full fledged comedic buddy travel movie. Finally, the third act reminds the audience that fairy tales are for children and class and money usually wins out. So many of the scenes are cleverly constructed, keeping the audience on their toes and their emotions running wild as we root for the underdog Anora.
I’m a huge fan of Sean Baker’s 2017 film, THE FLORIDA PROJECT, which also deals with themes of disadvantages for the poor class. All of his films give a sense of place with real characters and ANORA is no different. All the performances are excellent, moving up and down and shifting likability through foolish and passionate decision-making. But as I said, Mikey Madison, comes away with the film as an unexpected fire-cracker hitting on a different type of wisdom and emotion a 23-year-old sex worker might have when faced with her unlikely scenario.
The last scene of the movie had me frustrated in a way that I felt shifted the credibility of the character and the scenario. But my quick judgment was immediately checked in the last beat of the film, which Sean Baker wisely lets linger, shifting into a thought-provoking emotional conclusion. ANORA is a darkly sweet and funny movie that ends in a reality, gut punch of sadness.
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