Anora is a film I’ve been anticipating for a while now. Winner of the Palme d’Or for Best Film at Cannes, Anora follows the journey of its titular character, known as Ani, a stripper whose life takes a turn when she begins a romantic relationship with one of her clients.
The film starts slowly as we are introduced to the different aspects of Ani’s life; however, as soon as Vanya, the son of a Russian oligarch, is introduced, the film kicks up a gear. The editing helps to create a frenetic pace that takes the audience on their whirlwind romantic journey. When their romance inevitably falters, thanks to Vanya’s erratic behaviour and his family’s interference, Ani is left to pick up the pieces in a stressful and bittersweet second half.
The editing helps to create a frenetic pace that takes the audience on their whirlwind romantic journey.
Director Sean Baker has a truly unique voice within the modern film industry. His focus on making films about sex workers has helped destigmatise the profession whilst also analysing the complexities of this line of work and the impact it has on the people within it. Anora is no exception to this, being an incredibly warm and empathetic film that, even in the chaos of the story, is strongly character-focused. The writing is excellent, balancing genuinely hilarious comedic sequences and sincere moments.
The performances across the board here are excellent. Mikey Madison is fantastic as the titular character, giving an incredibly authentic and emotional performance. The main standout from the supporting cast is Yura Borisov’s ‘Igor’, who initially seems like a fairly standard mob henchman but turns out to be a more interesting and layered character than I might have expected.
The filmmaking across the board is excellent. The cinematography is beautiful, particularly during the strip club and the late-night Brooklyn sequences, and the editing, as previously mentioned, helps to keep the film fast-paced and engaging. The only major critique of the film I have is that it wasn’t fully engaging from the start, and only becomes entertaining once Vanya’s family finds out about the marriage.
Overall, Anora is undoubtedly one of the best-crafted films of the year with a great emotional centre. It’s worth watching.
