Anora revolves around Ani, a young Brooklyn sex worker who meets a Russian oligarch’s son during her shift. Sparks fly and ignite a whirlwind week of (paid) hedonism for Ani, finally culminating in an impulsive marriage in a Vegas chapel.
Is this another Pretty Woman? Aside from Ani being a sex worker and her beau being ridiculously rich, this is in no way, shape or form like the popular 90s rom com.
Anora is not a fluffy romance and is tethered to a grittier reality. The characters are more fleshed out and the darker possibilities of the Cinderella story are explored during this two hour movie.
Vanya Zakharov (Mark Eidelstein) is no Edward Lewis. Richard Gere’s Edward was impossibly suave and self-assured. Vanya is a scrawny nerd who has too much of daddy’s money to play with. He is painfully, socially inept with a grating laugh that made me cringe. There are countless scenes where we see him vapidly playing on his console, not caring that he has a willing, semi-naked woman next to him.
Mikey Madison flexes her range spectacularly as Ani. She starts as the stereotypical superficial, attention-seeking escort. The lure of riches turns her into a lovesick, gold-digging wife. However, as the marriage heads South, she is slapped awake from her fever dream and transformed into a hardened maven. Her evolution, albeit accelerated, is fully believable.
I’m not sure how Sean Baker did it but he is the master of transitions. Ani goes from heady love story to suspenseful thriller to visual comedy seamlessly. From the moment Vanya’s dad’s goons are unleashed, we’re taken on a crazy ride through their attempts to secure Vanya, with a sullen Ani in tow. Their buffoonery makes the meaty middle part of the film the most enjoyable. Even though their escapade felt like it was taking too long, I enjoyed every minute of it.
This is a stark contrast to the first third of the movie. I was bored from too many gratuitous sex scenes. Anora is also let down by an abrupt, anti-climactic final scene. I would have loved an ending that celebrated Ani’s journey but alas, it was not to be.
Nevertheless, Anora is a compelling watch. It may not personally be a go to classic for me, it is worth a second viewing.
Anora is now showing in limited early screenings and officially opens on boxing day.