FilmBath Festival: ‘Anora’ Review
Stars: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Darya Ekamasova, Yura Borisov, Paul Weissman, Lindsey Normington, Emily Weider, Luna Sofía Miranda, Vincent Radwinsky, Brittney Rodriguez, Sophia Carnabuci | Written and Directed by Sean Baker
Since releasing his first feature in 2000, writer/director Sean Baker has built himself a name as an exciting voice in independent cinema. As his works have gotten more attention, from Tangerine being shot on multiple iPhones, to Willem Dafoe’s Oscar nomination for The Florida Project, Baker has grown in stature as a director. This leads us to Anora, the writer/director’s eighth feature which won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes festival, and manages to be another exemplary piece of cinema from the creative.
British viewers may find themselves surprised in this film’s opening moments, as a remix of Take That’s ‘Greatest Day’ plays while a line of exotic dancers perform for paying customers. As the camera zooms in on Anora (Mikey Madison), the sense of dissatisfaction is palpable as she dances for a paying customer, yet the lyrics resonate with the feeling that things can only go uphill for her. After all, this could be the greatest day of her life.
Living in Brooklyn with her sister, Ani (don’t call her Anora) is looking for a way out of her life. That opportunity arrives when, due to her ability to speak Russian, Ani’s boss introduces her to Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), a client who is the son of a Russian oligarch. As the pair spend more time together, they fall into a whirlwind relationship which sees them impulsively marry in Las Vegas. What appears to be a fairytale for Ani threatens to fall apart once the news reaches Russia, and Vanya’s parents set out to get the marriage annulled.
Across the ensuing 139-minute runtime, the unfolding tale sweeps audiences off their feet to effortlessly fall for this excellent work. Sean Baker’s feature zips by as though it is half the length, whisking viewers into a tale that delivers plentiful laughs and makes your heart yearn for Ani. The aforementioned Take That song is repurposed at a later point to capture her happiness, showcasing the joy regarding the Cinderella story that she feels her life has become.
But the cracks soon appear in her imagined fairytale and, while it may become a comedy of errors that will make your sides split, the tale never forgets about the humanist core at its centre. Key to that is Mikey Madison’s exceptional performance, which sees her on fire following dual feature roles that saw her characters literally on fire. She is a force of nature as the titular character, refusing to back down regardless of the situation, while also capturing the beating heart within. One gets the sense that Ani has long put up walls to deal with her unsatisfying life, yet the hurt feelings she has tried to hide away remain evident as she grows to realise that this may not be her happily ever after.
As the man Ani has put her hopes into, Mark Eydelshteyn terrifically brings alive Vanya, the spoilt brat who spends money in the same way that he acts; impulsively. As more time is spent with him, it becomes clear that this guy is less like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, and more of an overgrown child trying to evade responsibilities. His performance works in tandem with Darya Ekamasova’s, whose brief appearance as Vanya’s mother makes it abundantly clear why her son lives in fear. A special mention is deserved for Yura Borisov as Igor, a Russian henchman who is the only one treating Ani with basic human decency.
Continuing his focus on characters working in the sex industry, Baker once more depicts this taboo side of society with a humanistic touch. The result is Anora, a marvel of a film that will make your sides split and heart break in quick succession, ranking highly amidst the director’s impressive filmography.
***** 5/5
Anora screened as part of this year’s FilmBath Festival.