By skyforbes Have you partied with a Russian billionaire? How about a prostitute? I haven’t. In Anora, Ani (Mikey Madison) is an erotic dancer, and being a prostitute is her side hustle. We really are in the gig economy. A kid named Vanya or Ivan (Mark Eidelstein) walks into her bar and asks for a Russian-speaking dancer. They got along very well. Vanya hired Ani for a week, Pretty Woman style, to be his girlfriend. Vanya and, to be fair, Ani got impulsive and got married in Vegas. BTW, Vanya is a Russian Billionaire’s kid. That means Vanya and Ani have all the luxuries they need from cars, to a mansion, a PlayStation 5, drugs, alcohol, sex, and partying in New York’s hottest clubs like Stefon from SNL. It’s like a weird Cinderella story. But then Vanya’s oligarchic parents found out. They are not happy. The film becomes this INCREDIBLE comedy of errors as they try to annul the marriage and resolve everything.
A Roller Coaster Ride
Great movies put you on a roller coaster ride, but especially, a roller coaster of emotions. The entire time, you’d have no idea what would happen next. It’s dramatic, funny, scary, anxiety-inducing, but also very real. They built up each character so well. You know exactly who they are and their conflict within the movie. All the characters are fantastic. I’ll try to list them all down. You have Ani, Vanya, his parents, the henchmen of his parents, Ani’s friends and fellow erotic dancers, and Vanya’s friends. Everyone is great but most of the props go to Mikey Madison. What a great acting performance. She got literally and emotionally naked. But Ani is also tough and street-smart. However, there is a vulnerability to her. You would FEEL that especially in the very last scene. The billionaire party lifestyle is fun, but Ani is looking for STABILITY. Having someone ask to marry you is so meaningful to Ani. You feel like Ani truly loves Vanya.
Gourmet in Fast Food Clothing
That’s how I felt watching this movie in the beginning, particularly the first 45 minutes. If you’re looking for emotional depth and quality cinema, you feel like you won’t get it in the beginning. But I promise you it’s coming. It’s also a movie about falling in love with a person and fully committing to them. But then you realize who they (really) are later on.
It Feels Real
Every character feels like real people. Nobody feels like an exaggerated caricature. You rarely see that in movies these days. It’s not judging or making fun of any character. You’re just seeing how people are. Yet, it’s very entertaining and will take you on an emotional roller coaster.
- Jays Ratings — 92%
- Rotten Tomatoes — 94%
- IMDB — 7.9 of 10
- Metacritic — 91
- Roger Ebert — 4 Stars of 4
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