Review - Anora
Directed by: Sean Baker
Written by: Sean Baker
Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Edeylshteyn, Yura Borisov
Running Time: 139 Minutes
Rating: 5/5
It’s Ani, bitch.
Sean Baker’s latest feature, Anora, is a rapturous bolt of lightning; a hurricane of a Cinderella story soaked in glitter, sex and rock n’ roll. The winner of Cannes’ most revered prize - the Palme d’Or, Anora is a hyper-volatile, mad-cap caper across the neon lit streets of Brooklyn, a dizzying crowd-pleaser that will make you laugh, cheer and cry with every twist and turn. Centered around Mikey Madison’s absolute tour de force of a performance; Anora is as magnetic as it comes - a star-crossed fairytale that slowly crosses into a full blown nightmare. Sean Baker’s magnum opus, a blitzkrieg of the right doses of mania, chaos and a whole lot of love.
While the marketing calls Anora a love story; it definitely fringes on the abstract of desire and love. A gen-z romance that fizzles with commentary on sex work, social class and at times, materialism and the ethics surrounding the idea of desire. When Anora (Mikey Madison) a young sex worker in Brooklyn, crosses paths with Ivan (or Vanya, as he calls himself), the son of a Russian billionaire - the sparks fly. Whether it is truly for the love of each other, their bodies or the cold hard cash for Anora, the chemistry is electric. Ivan showers Anora with precious gifts, luxury hotels, trips and an absurd amount of drugs; Anora is offered a chance to be exclusive with him; a $15,000 deal that would bring her rags to riches dream to life. With every dollar spent and every sexual encounter they share; Anora and Ivan are bound by their desires to one other. Whether it is genuine or not - is another question.
Anora is another foray into the sights unseen in the streets of lower class America; Baker’s films have always explored the decriminalization, desensitization and empathetic portrayals of sex workers, their families and those around them. Baker at his most narratively focused as ever - it doesn’t feel as observational as what Baker usually does - as the film propels with such a manic energy that it pulses past its 139 minute runtime with relative ease. Its first half of the film feels like a boozy, sex comedy that is reminiscent of Pretty Woman and some of Baker’s slice of life early work. The second half explodes with a visceral uppercut of chaos; a dizzying misadventure across the streets of New York that feels reminiscent of the Safdies’ tense filmmaking and the screwball comedies of the 90s. Every set piece is monumental and expansive - with Madison’s performance pushing forward with every single profane expliative and temper-tantrum outburst that captivates and astounds.
Like some of Baker’s films; his content may be divisive, maybe too “low-brow” for some of the most critical audiences. It is refreshing to find a filmmaker at the most confident of his career; extremely focused in building a story that is relevant in today’s socialite generation, but also empathetic and emotionally connected to the Anora’s of the world. Even moreso, with his more tightly focused narrative filmmaking, the camera moves with such a frantic and chaotic pace that Anora may overstimulate and overwhelm audiences with its explosive non-stop dialogue and kinetic energy. But maybe that’s the point. Baker gives us his version of a night-out-turned nightmare; a fairy tale rushing towards its curfew, desperate not to Pumpkin before midnight. Presented at the Toronto International Film Festival as part of the film’s Canadian Premiere, Anora is best enjoyed with a packed house. The film’s magentic energy and mile-a-minute comedy is infectious as much as it is dazzling. Madison’s performance is generational; fueled with an attitude and independence that is remarkable, Anora’s most quietest moments are in silence. Madison’s eyes are powerful, conveying decades of hustle, desperation and a longing for identity in her world. She knows she is amazing at her job - she knows that she is worth more than this - but is it enough for her to break out of her own life?
Anora is Sean Baker’s masterful misadventure across the glamour and glitz of the underbelly of America. A turbulent rollercoaster that surprises, astounds and marvels with every frame, set piece and performance. Believe the hype.
