4.5 out of 5.0 stars
“Anora” is part comedy, part drama and all heart. The runtime of nearly two-and-a-half hours flies by thanks to writer-director Sean Baker’s emotionally riveting and hilarious narrative. It follows Anora (Mikey Madison), a young Brooklyn sex worker of Russian descent whose Cinderella fairytale might actually be a nightmare.
At work, Anora — who goes by Ani — is self-assured, leading men to the ATM to withdraw cash, or slowly inching closer to them the longer they talk. Vanya (Mark Eidelstein) is no Prince Charming. He’s the 21-year-old son of a Russian oligarch who shows up at a strip club looking for a lap dance, preferably from someone who speaks Russian. Anora speaks and understands it well enough to keep Vanya’s attention and that lap dance becomes a one week, Pretty Woman-style arrangement that leads to a Vegas wedding. It’s an explosive beginning to the film, moving rapidly and capturing the essence of impulsive young love.
Madison — a Manson family member in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” alongside Margaret Qualley, Austin Butler and Sydney Sweeney before they became household names — seems destined for her star-turn in this role. At first, Anora is clearly into Vanya because of the money, but Anora becomes more vulnerable as their relationship continues. Her confident bravado unravels, and she falls for Vanya. Madison also ingeniously uses her character’s Brooklyn accent — the more frustrated she gets, the more prominent the accent becomes.
About half an hour in, the film cleverly shifts from a flowery fever dream to a darker reality. Word of Vanya’s marriage to Anora gets back to his parents. Predictably, they freak out, wanting him out of America and Anora out of his life. Two Armenian brothers, Toros (Karren Karagulian) and Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) are sent to have the marriage annulled and bring along a Russian, Igor (Yura Borisov), as their “muscle.” The three have a hysterical dynamic and spend a lot of time with Anora, unveiling whether Vanya’s affections were out of love or objectification.
Baker is a widely celebrated independent filmmaker whose previous films, including “Red Rocket” and “Tangerine,” frequently focused on sex workers. “Anora” has become the crown jewel of his filmography, winning the Cannes Film Festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or and blowing away festival attendees. Not only as the director but also as the writer and editor, his choices are fascinating. The scene introducing Toros, Garnick and Igor is 25 minutes long and flips the entire story upside down. The fun-loving, sex-filled mantra of the first act slips away like a lost memory. From there on, most interactions take their time, conversations linger and the comedy nails its landing.
The film is a love letter to Brooklyn’s Russian and Eastern European communities. Streets are familiar and lived in, and interactions switch between languages. The cinematography is grainy but beautiful, reminiscent of other modern independent New York City-based films like “Uncut Gems.” There are some standout shots of the group — Toros, Garnick, Igor and Anora walking past the Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster as it towers behind them.
The side performances are terrific as well. Eidelstein as Vanya brings the perfect energy for how the rich spoiled son of a Russian oligarch would act. He’s childish but brings the right amount of heart to appear loving as if he could be a good husband to Anora. Borisov as Igor is also a scene-stealer. He conveys so much judgment and thought just with his eyes, rarely speaking. When he does, it’s much softer and gentler than expected, given that he’s supposed to be the scary member of the group. His intentions and loyalties are confusing, making him a fascinating character to follow. “Anora” will almost certainly be nominated for several Oscars: Best Actress, Best Director, Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, to name just a few. It will deserve every single one. If there is one movie to pry audiences away from the comfort of streaming apps and get to a theater, this is it. “Anora” will not disappoint.
