Anora, or Ani as she prefers to be called, is a stripper catering to many clients, with her ability to speak Russian helping her to draw favor with many of those who come to the club. One night, she meets Vanya, the wealthy immature playboy son of a wealthy Russian family, and things quickly escalate from a few paid sexual encounters to a full-on marriage! But it’s not long before Vanya’s family learns of the marriage, sending out henchmen to forcibly have it annulled much to Ani’s dismay. Will the couple have a happily ever after ending, or will it be back to the clubs for Ani?
Sean Baker has certainly made a name for himself in recent years with films like THE FLORIDA PROJECT and RED ROCKET. While I don’t believe the man has crafted a masterpiece yet, he’s certainly had some near misses and has shown plenty of potential. ANORA, the latest from Mr. Baker, has a great cast, including a fantastic performance from leading lady Mikey Madison, an intriguing premise, and highs and lows alike. Unfortunately, after its first act, the movie never quite finds its footing again, and it becomes a hit-and-miss experience.
Where I can give the most credit in ANORA to is its title character, played by leading lady Mikey Madison. While I still believe Sean Baker has yet to make and craft his true masterpiece, where I won’t argue is that the guy knows how to write and craft female characters better than most, showing a sexy and sensual side, but also a vulnerability and weakness, giving them depth. Anora herself is the latest example of this; she’s a woman who years for something better than entertaining in clubs, and her jumping at the opportunity to do so ultimately has disastrous consequences. The supporting cast, including Mark Eydelshteyn as her love interest Vanya, all fair surprisingly well throughout the film’s duration.
Where Baker also fares well is creating a picture of less-than-ideal living conditions with people who want to break free and achieve their dreams. We saw it with a single mom and young daughter in THE FLORIDA PROJECT, we saw it with a washed-up ex-porn star in RED ROCKET, and now we see it in ANORA with strippers who work nonstop in hopes of hitting the jackpot. Baker’s films are often tragic with less-than-favorable outcomes, but I give the man credit for never pulling his punches. ANORA goes from highs to lows, from being laugh-out-loud funny to outright tragic at times.
But the problem with ANORA is the movie can’t quite decide what it wants to do. The first act of the movie is absolutely brilliant, introducing our main characters and a whirlwind romance worthy of a classic Hollywood film (albeit with a lot more sex and nudity). What follows is a movie with sluggish pacing and very mixed attitudes which admittedly did struggle to hold my attention on more than a few occasions. One sequence where Vanya is pursued by his family’s henchmen/bodyguards drags on endlessly; I don’t remember the last time I’d watched any movie that had a single scene/sequence last this long. ANORA clocks in at about 140 minutes with credits. It should’ve been about 100 minutes.
I should also give the obligatory disclaimer at the film is quite explicit and holds nothing back in terms of sex scenes and the like, so if you’re prudish or easily offended, don’t watch this movie. The film has been given an R rating by the MPA for its content, but in all honestly, an NC-17 rating would’ve been more appropriate.
ANORA is a mixed bag. The leads and the whirlwind romance are fantastic… but there’s still about a hundred more minutes after that which drag on endlessly and aren’t always engaging. Like the Sean Baker films I’ve seen so far, it’s another near miss. All the pieces to make a masterwork are there, but they never quite come together the way they should. I can’t quite recommend it, but I have no doubt in the coming years we’ll get Baker’s masterpiece, and I’ll be first in line to see it.