Movie Review: Anora
Independent American filmmaker Sean Baker has built a loyal fanbase deeply invested in his signature move of bringing stories about downtrodden, forgotten, and marginalized people in society to the forefront of his films. He keeps that string going with his Palme d’Or winning entry from the Cannes Film Festival, Anora. With his latest endeavor, Baker extends on the successes of his hits such as Tangerine, The Florida Project, and Red Rocket, to deliver his most accessible and complete film to date. Needless to say, you should expect to hear Anora’s name all throughout the awards season circus.
Ani Mikheeva (Mikey Madison) is an exotic dancer and sex worker, scraping by on her good looks and deep understanding of how to adequately seduce a client. Living with her sister in Brooklyn, Ani is immersed in a lonely and superficial lifestyle until Ivan “Vanya” Zakharov (Mark Eidelstein) shows up at her upscale Manhattan strip club. Vanya is the extremely wealthy and immature son of a Russian oligarch staying in America to study. He lavishes Ani with his wealth and their relationship begins to extend beyond the strip club walls as she meets with him at his home and they even vacation together. Ani takes to this high-class, no rules lifestyle and eventually agrees to marry Vanya so that he can stay in the United States. Yet, Vanya’s wealthy parents discover his relationship and will stop at nothing to get this marriage annulled.
Despite Baker’s lack of interest in extending beyond his well-established comfort zone, Anora proves that the gifted filmmaker is still improving his game. This spectacularly shot film is even more magnetic and profound than the director’s previous accomplishments. Baker places Ani’s internal longing for a more meaningful life on the center stage of his film. Shining a light on this core idea and taking the audience through the most 2024-take on the Cinderella story imaginable, and only in a way that Baker himself could achieve.
The films ventures through many tonal shifts, dipping its toes in many different waters but always finding a way to make this abnormal navigation work well. Anora remains a massively ambitious attempt from Baker, but one that’s so emotionally rewarding in its final payoff. Ani’s journey becomes as long as it is difficult, but her transformation into Anora makes every detail along the way worthwhile. Mikey Madison (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) is truly exceptional in her leading role. She’s given an enormous platform to blossom in the film’s third act and she runs with the opportunity, capping it off with an unforgettable final scene that she delivers to perfection. Madison is destined for a Best Actress nomination, at the very least, and she’s fully deserving of the recognition.
Sean Baker has long put his talents on display, cementing himself as one of the premiere voices in modern American filmmaking. Despite his many successes as a director, he offers a career best film with Anora. And although its many twists and turns aren’t always the smoothest of rides, they culminate in exceptional fashion and prove that Baker and Madison will be industry fixtures for a long time.
GRADE: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
