From when we are little, we are told of how Cinderella found love by dancing in a ballroom in the biggest castle with the most beautiful dress. However, it’s the 21st century now; we find our Prince Charmings in strip clubs.
Meet Anora. Anora, who prefers to go by Ani, is one of Headquarters Gentlemen’s Club’s most popular strippers. When the audience first meets her, we see her confidence in how she handles her clients on the floor and in private rooms. The limits of her introduction do not end there, as we see how she gets ready, how she interacts with other strippers and even a candid conversation on how one man gave a “Jeffrey Dahmer” vibe.
One night, her boss calls for her as someone requested a performer who speaks Russian. Since Ani is the only one, she sets her vape aside and gets ready to show this Russian how Americans handle these types of foreign affairs.
In comes Ivan, the second half of this love story, a 21-year-old with too much money to know what to do with. At first, Ani doesn’t get too attached, but with Ivan’s constant affection and showering of dollar bills, she can’t help but adore this new life of luxury, away from her shared condo.
As time goes on, Ivan pays for more of Ani’s time until he wants her for himself. Ivan offers Ani $15,000 in exchange for her loyalty to him for a week. Ani agrees, and, after a whirlwind trip in Vegas, they end up in a wedding chapel promising the rest of their lives together.
However, Ani soon realizes that she did not know the extent of Ivan’s wealth of connections. Turns out he is the son of a Russian oligarch, who is very upset that his son married someone in Ani’s line of work.
The rest of the movie, Ani fights for her relationship against a group of very angry men sent by Ivan’s dad who are trying to get the marriage annulled.
Going into this movie, I did not expect to be laughing as much as I did. Although the plot is dramatic, the writing and dialogue is what makes this movie a dramedy.
Director Sean Baker did a phenomenal job at casting, which is demonstrated by the actress who plays Anora, Mikey Madison. With his other films “The Florida Project” and “Tangerine,” Baker casted real life people with no prior acting experience. However, even with casting Madison, who has a variety of acting credits, he understands finding actors who demonstrate the multitude of a character whose development will be the center of the story.
From seeing these films, I’ve learned that Baker has a tendency to cast the perfect ensemble. Each character holds their own, and through their actions, small or large, adds a necessary piece of the story. For example, even though Ivan’s friends are not present throughout the entire movie, they let the audience know about Ivan’s character and the type of people he surrounds himself with as they encourage and go along with his immaturity.
In “Anora,” we learn the power dynamics of exploitation. Initially, we think Ani is in charge and has Ivan under control by manipulating his desire for her in order to gain money. However, once she falls in love and they get married, we see her confidence tossed through the wringer during the annulment process.
The movie ends with Madison demonstrating a range of emotions that show the audience Ani’s full character. When Ivan decides to follow his parents’ orders and leave Ani, we learn that he cared for nothing more than her body. Yes, Madison through Ani annihilates the screen with wrath and betrayal, but after it’s all over, she breaks down in tears.
Although ending in heartbreak, seeing Anora fall in love and build herself back up is a story that touches everyone’s hearts. I wouldn’t be surprised if “Anora” made headlines in the upcoming award cycle. This is truly a movie that deserves all of the recognition that makes me excited to see Madison’s and Baker’s future in moviemaking.
