Here’s another whirlwind of a motion picture from director Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project), who continues to find ways to build engaging features that examine underrepresented and marginalized subcultures in America. Anora works wonderfully as a screwball romantic comedy and a very human drama detailing the separation of classes and how their odd mixing can play out under extreme circumstances. Aided by a fierce lead performance from Mikey Madison, for a film clocking in at just under two hours and twenty minutes, there’s a lot to enjoy thanks to how this movie sets its sights on establishing familiar setups and completely flipping the table, to end up with something edgier, grander, and effectively emotional.
Madison stars as Ani, a Russian-American exotic dancer from Brooklyn, New York. While she doesn’t like to reference her Russian heritage all that much, her understanding of the language leads to her boss fixing her up with Russian clients. She’s then introduced to Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Based on all their lustful activities, the two decide they’re in love, and within a couple of weeks, they fly to Las Vegas and elope. Once this news makes its way back to Vanya’s parents, everything suddenly spirals out of control, leading to a very eventful 24-hour period full of shouting, arguments, fights, scavenger hunts, and other chaotic activities.
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There’s a major “too good to be true” element to everything Ani is going through in the early stages of this film. That’s not to say I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Still, given the “Pretty Woman but even edgier” vibe the film was aiming for, I indeed found myself constantly preparing for some kind of development that would squash the good times being had by two young, dumb kids flashing Vanya’s parents’ money all over the place and doing whatever they wanted.
With that in mind, the early portion of the film does a terrific job of settling us in with what Ani’s world is like as a stripper from Brighton Beach and what sort of angles she has to play to get by, let alone stay ahead. Baker’s efforts to humanize and create compassion for sex workers remain apparent. Because of this understanding, we want to root for Ani when she announces to the other women that she’s moving on from her job to be a wealthy wife. Still, we also know a downfall must be on the way. But what form will it take?
Let’s think of Ani’s journey to getting married as an extended first act modeled off an Ernst Lubitsch-styled comedy from the 40s. The rest of the film plays out as if Lubitsch somehow melded with the Safdie brothers (Uncut Gems) for an intense journey through New York that one can’t help but find the humor in. Without delving too far into detail, a few people are unhappy with Vanya’s decision to marry someone like Ani. From there, the effort it takes to get everyone on the same page is remarkable. With a mix of confusion, desperation, and exhaustion, we watch multiple parties go through the wringer to achieve their various goals.
It is here where we are introduced to Vanya’s handler, Toros (Karren Karaguilian), and his henchmen, Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) and Igor (Yura Borisov). Much of the rest of the film finds Ani and these characters stuck with each other. There’s a clear design by Baker to see just how far he can push the audience from being concerned about the well-being of Ani to being irritated by just how wrongheaded the approach each of these individuals has to solve their problem. This is also where the film reveals new layers to the kinds of people we are following.
While Ani’s status is already unique, the handler of a spoiled boy prince presents its own equally hilarious and sad context. I felt for poor Toros, who had to duck out of a Christening for the sake of a brat who did something stupid. That said, it’s the sneaky work by Borisov as Igor that amounts to another clear highlight of the film. Suffering the most abuse for trying to keep things calm with Ani, the way he acts as a mostly silent observer leads to nuanced character work with an eventual payoff that feels fully earned. Leading up to that time, however, we can see how the power structure works in this scenario and take in all the different ways people respond, given their status and ability, and just how far street smarts can take them.
With all of this in mind, bringing things back to Ani, Madison shines brightest in this film. Beyond the notion of being able to label her performance as “brave” due to the extremes required for a role like this, a lot of brassy comic energy comes from her being a young woman dealing with various intimidating figures with aplomb. Being spunky can mean pushing specific scenarios up a few notches, and with the way Baker’s films managed to move past certain limits in terms of volume, it’s a great benefit to see a movie like this feel so centered thanks to a strong lead performance that remains key, even as the elements around her attempt to push her into a more passive position, as she observes the way this family she’s married into works.
Baker’s collaborators all add to what’s being offered as well. Drew Daniels’ cinematography conveys the idea that we are entering a scuzzy side of New York, yet there’s a real glow about how we see Ani’s presumed romance and what it entails. Once things become more serious, or at least more focused on what follows a short-lived honeymoon, the cold New York locations register as such, as the film’s visuals cool. With a handheld approach, we also get plenty of examples of how the film’s frantic energy can ramp up the tension to a boiling point, with comedy found within these moments to help ease us back down.
Given the film’s length, it can feel like a lot to take in. Yet, the way this film bounces around and finds moments of clever edits allows for a sense of unpredictability. Sure, there’s a sort of arc in place that suggests how things may or may not end up. Still, our journey is full of zaniness, evoking everything from the aforementioned screwball comedies to the night odysseys seen in films like After Hours. It also means getting enough understanding and appreciation for the characters we follow that by the time we arrive at the finale with Ani, we absolutely feel for her during scenes of intense emotion.
Anora is a terrific film that finds Baker doing all he can to transport an audience to a particular world that very much exists, allowing him to push buttons in all sorts of ways. That said, even as things become more and more over-the-top, there’s a truthfulness that helps keep it all feeling grounded, with flourishes of comedy and sadness pushing up against each other. This makes for an effective feature that serves as an emotional ride and a compelling societal commentary. If ever there was a way to examine a contemporary version of the American dream, Baker has gone in with his sensibilities and delivered it, kicking and screaming all the way.
Anora opens in select theaters on October 18, 2024, expanding wider in November.
