Anora ‘Ani’ (Mikey Madison) is a young, beautiful exotic dancer and escort from Brooklyn, not terribly different from many others. Working at ‘Headquarters’ in New York City, she earns her money grinding (or more) up against anyone with money to spend. But being the only girl at Headquarters who can understand Russian is about to change her life.
She is paired up with new customer Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), a young Russian man looking for a good time. He may be an immature, selfish pothead brat, but as the son of an oligarch, he is also filthy rich. Liking how Ani makes him feel, he pays her to embark on a “girlfriend experience” for a week. A drug fuelled orgy of sex and partying with friends in Las Vegas follows, but when it’s time to part, Ivan wants more. Recklessly, he proposes to Ani and impulsively, she accepts. It seems like this might just be the fairy tale story of Ani‘s little girl dreams.
But quickly, reality comes knocking as Ivan‘s shameful exploits reach the tabloids back home. His parents send handlers to babysit Ivan, but like the child he is, he runs away from his problems, leaving new wife Ani to face the music alone. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Ani refuses to play nice.
As Ivan‘s powerful parents set out for New York for an emergency annulment, so begins an odyssey. Ani is dragged by her bumbling kidnappers across the city, trying to track down her “Prince Charming”. Not exactly the romantic honeymoon that she had in mind…
From writer-director Sean Baker comes one of the most talked about films of 2024. Winner of the coveted Palme d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, this is a story of a fairy tale fantasy crashing into reality. While not exactly the “realistic take on Pretty Woman” it has been touted as, it does continue Baker’s modus operandi, giving us revealing looks into the complicated lives of Americans that society often sweeps under the rug.
In some ways, Anora feels like a movie in two very different halves. One which explores the life of a young sex worker swept up into a desirable lifestyle of the rich and famous. The film is fascinating showing Ani forced to put on a smile as her client wilfully throws more money away gambling than she could ever hope to earn all year.
This dizzying world is shot beautifully by cinematographer Drew Daniels, the moody neon lights of Headquarters, New York and Vegas nightlife coming alive while a playlist of varied hit songs plays, swallowing us all up into Ani‘s new world.
But the second half as the film completely shifts into slapstick comedy and zany scenarios feel completely out of left field. These scenes can be hilarious at times, as the pint sized Ani gives her inept hijackers more than they bargained for. Much more ‘Home Alone‘-like than the film’s opening would set us up for.
An issue is this section just lasts way too long, with the same scenes basically playing out repetitively. There’s no tension to replace the diminishing return of the gags and Ani never feels in any peril, nor is there any drama or growth for Anora as a character. She mostly stays at the same level of vulgar hysterics. Baker has stated that a driving force behind the film was wishing to work with actors Karren Karagulian and Yura Borisov, and it shows. They play two of Ani‘s three assailants (Toros and Igor) and again, while funny, it’s like Baker didn’t wish to leave anything on the cutting room floor.
It’s unfortunate, as this almost takes focus away from Mikey Madison, her conviction and bravery in such a role. Even beyond the sexually revealing scenes, Madison went through extensive training in Pilates, gymnastics, and with dialect coaches. All to prepare herself to play a lifelong dancer from Brooklyn, which Madison is not. This can all be seen and appreciated in the film’s first half, but largely disappears as her character is stuck in one gear for majority of the remainder of the film.
Rather than a woman slowly realising her Cinderella story is falling apart, it’s an hour of shrill vulgarity instead. It just becomes frustrating as Ani refuses to accept the reality of her situation for over an hour. The reality of her life, her profession, her scumbag man-child husband, her in-laws, and especially, her sham marriage. With some tighter editing, this wouldn’t be a problem but unfortunately the film just drags here. I have seen GLOWING reviews for Anora saying it feels 10-15 minutes too long, this is exactly why.
The actors got along, which I’m happy for, as most of their scenes are very intimate. The relationship between the two lead characters is interesting though, with Annie and Ivan fittingly never approaching anything close to having chemistry. Ani talks to Ivan like what he is, just another customer enamoured by her beauty, paying her to force a smile at him. Even if she wants to believe there’s more to it.
This is countered by the relationship which reluctantly and very slowly grows between Ani and Igor. At one point, the quiet thug is revealed as genuinely the only decent human being over the course of the film, caring for what is right where others do not. As much as Anora will skyrocket Mikey Madison‘s career, I can see it doing the same for Yura Borisov.
Anora is like a trip to a strip club or a drug fuelled party in Las Vegas. It’s a fun time with plenty of laughs and some beautiful sights. But stick around too long and the experience is draining and more of a chore. Technically, the film is stunning and the performances hit the mark. But an overlong runtime for such a simple story detracts from such a stellar opening, as this party drags to a close.
Anora is in cinemas this Boxing Day.