Anora (2024)
An unexpectedly auteur romcom.
Presentation:
I had very low expectations going into this as I assumed many things considering it’s a story about a sex worker. I was happily proven wrong because this was surprisingly a very enjoyable experience. But if you view this as anything other than a Superbad or Eurphoria kind of comedy, this will probably not sit well with you. It’s clearly intended to be an unserious dramedy, though you’ll probably only realize 30 minutes in that it’s charmingly funny and even artistic. Mikey Madison is wonderfully undistracting despite the multiple nude scenes striking a perfect balance of feeling comfortable in her role making you believe she’s a seasoned sex worker. Nothing about her seems fake or apologetic, she’s natural and even endearing and you could totally believe she has real escort experience. The strong Brooklyn and Russian accents of the characters playfully add personality and work well in getting away with a lot of otherwise awkward moments. There are a few scenes that are laugh out loud funny with the high octane energy of a Safdies film. This is reinforced by the scenery of Coney Island, NYC and Vegas, which are all full of life especially because of the filmic and strong anamorphic visuals. Many could view it as weak because of the lifted shadows and lack of saturation but I think the lack of trying complements what the film is ultimately going for.
Conclusion:
If you don’t take this film seriously, I think it will be a very fun experience…which should be the case because with the main character being a sex worker you should let your guard down expecting a very shallow flick. Although there is definitely a lot of silliness I think there is something magical created that makes this feel different than any other romcom you’ve probably ever seen. It’s a very unique experience that should get more praise because of how inventive the plot and structure is. It’s a long film at over 2 hours, but it felt very short. Don’t judge this film by its synopsis because Anora is nothing you’ll expect it to be.
Recommendations
An ambitious potential masterpiece falls short.