Sean Baker has been killing it at the center of independent film for years. He has left a lasting impression with films like The Florida Project, Red Rocket, and Tangerine. And now, he writes and directs Anora, a romantic comedy-drama of sorts that has been doing superbly at film festivals this year. This is the first American movie to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes since 2011, and for good reason. This movie is an absolute riot designed to be experienced with the biggest crowd possible, creating an unforgettable experience rarely replicated in modern film.
I love that Baker saw the girl who played psychopathic murderers getting set on fire by the heroes in both Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the 2022 Scream movie and knew instantly that he needed to work with her. Mikey Madison is a movie star in the making. She’s the titular character, and her face is at the center of every marketing piece. Her performance here is a revelation. It’s fun to see how soft-spoken Madison is in real life because she brings so much New York City street to this role that feels masterful and authentic.
She plays Anora, a sex worker who meets a young Russian client named Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn). After he first hires her for her services, they end up in a whirlwind romance that leads to the two eloping in Vegas. But when Ivan’s family finds out he got married to a sex worker, they show up to get the marriage annulled. My favorite type of movie is a simple concept executed to its maximum potential. Anora is an energetic, fast-paced movie that spends time with each of its characters and spends most of the second and third acts in a delightfully chaotic ride.
Anora and Ivan start as a fun match for each other. Baker does an excellent job directing both their sex scenes and onscreen chemistry. The actors bring so much physicality to these roles. Madison spent months training to learn how to pole dance, and she brings an excellent amount of sexuality and strength to her dance scenes. Meanwhile, Eydelshteyn, who has been dubbed by journalists as “the Russian Timothée Chalamet” (which is not a bad comparison), gets us on his side quickly. He has this hilariously frantic energy and he does a lot with his body that makes every scene even more entertaining than it already is.
Some moments in the first act are filled with joy as you get to really love these characters. Baker pulls off something interesting because not everyone may relate to the Brooklynite sex worker or the rich-beyond-your-wildest-dreams guy, but it’s so fun to watch them that it doesn’t quite matter. Their personalities pop off the screen, and they serve as a fun contrast with Ivan’s fun-loving immaturity and Anora’s New York trash talk. Once Ivan’s family closes in on our happy couple, this movie escalates phenomenally. Most of the movie is set during one hectic day when the family tries to get the marriage annulled, and everything seems to go as terribly as possible.
Baker directs the chaos of the situation perfectly. It’s a loud movie where everyone has a point of view and must yell over each other. It’s never grating, and it makes every moment feel very realistic. A lot of the dialogue sounds improvised, especially with how prolifically profane our protagonist presents herself. There is not a single weak link in this supporting cast, which is comprised mostly of unknowns. Everyone fully embodies their character to the point where they don’t feel like actors; they just feel like people reacting to this situation. It’s so easy to forget you’re watching fictional events despite how insane everything is.
One of the greatest aspects of Anora is the tone. The situation is really dark, especially during scenes where our main character is in danger and being confronted by men. But the movie knows how to ride the line between humor and darkness perfectly. Right when it seems like the film is getting disturbing, the movie throws in the perfect punchline. Every comedic moment feels organic to the situation, and the way Anora responds to the insanity around her is perfectly justifiable. The tonal shifts never feel jarring, and the humor never kills the tension, which is a very complex feat.
This movie is filled to the brim with energy. There isn’t a single dull moment as we’re always in the thick of this absurd situation that continuously gets more insane. But the true key to this movie’s success is the ending. The film maintains this level of adrenaline for so much of its runtime that it can feel jarring when the final few scenes lose that momentum. Silence has never been louder than in the ending of Anora, which suddenly pulls your heart out as you get a clearer but ambiguous look at how our main character’s mind works. It’s heartbreaking, and everyone should have an interpretation of what this means. This film is a must-see if you’re looking for a lot of laughs and an ending that will leave you stunned.
SCORE: 9/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended the New York Film Festival for our Anora review.
