Movie Review – Anora

What is this amazing film? Drumroll, please! The film is called “Anora” after the protagonist, who is a 23-year-old woman (of Russian descent) who is living and working as an exotic dancer in New York City. The opening plot is a simple one. Anora, or “Ani” as she prefers, meets Vanya, a younger Russian national at her “Gentleman’s Club,” who she eventually learns is the son of a very wealthy and famous oligarch living in Moscow. In any case, they rapidly connect on multiple levels. The relationship’s beginning is a transactional one, wildly reminiscent of some of the scenes in “Pretty Woman”. However, unlike Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, their budding relationship is far more “blissfully naïve” and includes continual drug use and almost non-stop sex. Importantly, the movie eventually moves in a very different direction, which involves action, hilarious dialogue, physical slapstick, and new characters that are hysterically funny and flawed in their own right. The film is very entertaining with few “slow parts” such that this two-hour-plus movie does not feel long or drawn out.

The film’s director, Sean Baker, is not new on the scene but rather has made some very good “Indies,” which primarily focus upon immigrants and sex workers.  Without question, “The Florida Project” (2017) was my personal favorite of his films… until now!  It is truly understandable why this film was given the coveted “Palme d’Or” award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.  This movie takes risks and at times, takes outlandish twists and plot turns, but it the story still smacks as “believable”.  As a New Yorker, I am familiar with south Brooklyn, where most of the film is set.  Most certainly, the movie successfully captures the look and feel of the community where many people of Russian descent live complete with their own social establishments (e.g., restaurants, clubs, etc.).   Interestingly, the Director chose to set this story in wintertime when tourists virtually disappear from this area (which includes Coney Island), giving the viewer a somewhat ominous, deserted, and barren backdrop whilst Ani, Vanya, and their friends party up and down the infamous boardwalk.

As for acting, from top to bottom, one is hard-pressed to find fault with the performances of the main characters.  Most notable is Mikey Madison (playing Anora), whom one might recognize as one of the would-be Manson murderers in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”.  Watching her on screen does not feel like watching an “actress”.  Her portrayal of Ani is so incredibly believable one could temporarily think they are watching video clips of a real person off of YouTube!  She is “all in” with this role, and my prediction is that the upcoming award season will turn out to be quite the boon for her career.

Amidst my enthusiasm about this film, I would be remiss if I did not put a “warning label” on this film such that it is not for everyone.  (As such, be careful as to which friends you might invite along to accompany you to the theatre).  First, there is constant drug use, partial nudity, sex, and vulgar language throughout the film.  (In fact, I would hazard a guess that the usage of the F-word exceeds that which was found in “Scarface”!).  Nevertheless, for most Indie film lovers, this one should not be missed.  The film sets the movie-goer on a veritable emotional rollercoaster, which includes extreme happiness and sadness for the characters in the film who, while flawed, are mostly likable/relatable, and fans will care about their well-being.

Finally, my strong recommendation is to see this movie while it is exclusively in theatres (right now).  When I saw it amongst my fellow New Yorkers, there were continual outbursts of laughter, gasps, and various comments such as “Oh no!” and “What?!?!”.  Anyway, just go see it with others as opposed to waiting to stream it alone in the future – you will likely have a far more fruitful experience.

Grade: A

About The Peetimes: It was not easy to pinpoint Peetimes for this film because the fan is going to miss “something” by stepping away at virtually anytime, particularly in terms of superior performances, humor, and action. Nevertheless, three Peetimes were identified that are workable. The first one is, by a longshot, the best of the three with the third one being only for emergencies.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Anora.

Rated:	(R) Pervasive Language | Graphic Nudity | Drug Use | Strong Sexual Content
Genres:	Comedy, Drama, Romance
Starring:	Mikey Madison, Paul Weissman, Lindsey Normington
Director:	Sean Baker
Writer(s):	Sean Baker
Language:	English, Russian
Country:	United States

Plot
Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.