Anora
Anora
Starring Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian
Directed by Sean Baker
Anora "Ani" Mikheeva (Mikey Madison) is a high-priced stripper working at a well-established club in New York City, when she's told by her boss to cater to a young Russian man because of her knowledge of the language. The man, Ivan "Vanya" Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), is a twenty-one year old immature brat who is living off his father's vast wealth and is in America to study, but spends his time partying and playing video games instead. The two strike up an immediate attraction toward one another, and their whirlwind romance ends in Las Vegas where they instinctively decide to elope. This comes as a shock to his Russian oligarch father who hires Armenian handler Toros (Karran Karagulian) who employs roughs Igor (Yura Borisov) and Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) to forcibly get their marriage annulled, seeing Anora's profession as a stain in their family's legacy. As Ani fights to keep the marriage intact, Vanya instinctively runs away, leaving Ani, Toros, Ivan and Garnack on a wild goose chase throughout New York City to find him, causing Ani to question whether or not Vanya will keep his marriage vows or bend to his overbearing family's will.
"Anora" is a masterpiece of cinema, a movie that daftly blends humor, romance, and tension in equal measure, heightened by an impeccable cast of actors who sadly get overshadowed by Madison's looming shadow. It's a movie that has numerous layers that peel away slowly, leading you captivated and yearning for more, as director Simon Baker blends the genres and combines them in unique ways. There's joy in sadness, comedy in tragedy, and all the hands involved deliver a powerful film that borrows itself inside you and comfortably lays next to your heart.
Most films like this show the prostitute as a stock character, not really giving her the attention she deserves, and makes her out to be a money-hungry hoe. While "Anora" does stick to that generalization, it also showcases the purpose as to why someone would do this line of work. Ani is a strong, independent Brooklyn woman who does her job because she honestly likes it, and although she makes a lot of money, she still lives in a dinky home next to a railroad with trains constantly buzzing through. You'd expect someone of her caliber to be like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman," but she is not in need of a man to make her whole. So when she finds one, it's more natural and organic as opposed to desperate and needy.
Mikey Madison is an established actress in her own right, already appearing in Oscar-winning films like "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and legacy sequels like "Scream," and both performances are what drew Simon Baker to cast her in the role without an audition. She delved headfirst into the role, learning Russian, visiting strip clubs and perfecting her Brooklyn accent to make her performance all the more believable and lived-in. You don't feel like you're watching a movie where an actress is portraying a stripper, but rather you're watching a movie with a stripper who's already well-established in her own world. Ani is fiery, boisterous, profane, and determined, and her determination lies with maintaining her marriage to Vanya despite his family's desire for their divorce. She fights tooth and nail (sometimes literally) to keep the marriage together, and as the film progresses you begin to wonder why she does this, since Vanya bails at the first sign of trouble and goes missing, leaving Ani to deal with the repercussions. Is it true love that's keeping her connected to him? Madison's role maintains that to be true, no matter how nonsensical it can be - but then again, isn't that love?
Madison's looming acting shadow almost covers the other performances, but the cast all around does an impeccable job. Mark Eydelshteyn is a force of nature as Vanya, a stubborn, stuck-up, and probably ADHD undiagnosed manchild whose chaotic nature adds tension to the film and also a surprising sweetness as well. It's somewhat easy to understand why Ani would fall for him so quickly, and the feeling seems reciprocal, even though he hints that by getting married he wouldn't have to return to Russia - so it could be a way out for him to stay in his lavish lifestyle, but screenwriter Sean Baker smartly doesn't right out and say it, but allows you to make your own assumptions.
The film jumps from a romance story to a shocking home invasion that leads to some insanely humorous moments that underlies a deeper connection blooming under the surface, as Ani is taken by Toros, Ivan and Garnack throughout New York City to find Vanya. Ani is essentially a kidnap victim who never shows her victimhood by assisting the men, and this cat-and-mouse adventure is filled with gut-rolling laughter, as the actors play perfectly off one another. Karren Karagulian's Toros is the brains behind the operation, but he often doesn't use his brain to full effect as he deals with his car almost getting towed, or a downright riotous moment at the courthouse. Vache Tovmasyan's Garnack is your typical dumb muscle, but is so endearing you feel a deep connection to the character who just needs to go to a hospital after Ani gets her hands on him, but is forced to drive through NYC all night to find Vanya instead.
Yet the understated performance comes from Yura Borisov, who plays Ivan, the other hired goon. He's the one who sees something in Ani more than just her rough veneer, and picks up on her little nuances that points to her softer interior protected by her tough-as-nails shell. He's smarter than he gives himself credit for, and his offbeat relationship with Ani is equal parts hysterical and heartfelt, as she constantly berates him for being a part of her "kidnapping" as he protects her from outside forces. It makes you wonder why this relationship wasn't shipped instead, as in just one night Igor shows more compassion for Ani than Vanya seemingly has in the months they've been together.
The cinematography and music are also impeccable, as Director of Photography Drew Daniels takes us on a thrilling ride through the underbelly of Brooklyn, making the seedy seem natural, and using light to its full advantage, and giving off a 1970s film aesthetic. Matthew Hearon-Smith's music score infuses the insanity of the story but also the heartfelt role of Madison, blending the chaotic and the mundane perfectly.
The film's powerful denouement also establishes Madison's acting range, as well as offering an unforgettable conclusion to a stellar story, which will leave you in silent awe at what you've just experienced, as the credits roll with no music - leaving you utterly spellbound and speechless at the end.
The Score: A+
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