Anora – TIFF 2024
September 5 to September 15, 2024
Content Advisory: Abuse, Substance abuse or alcoholism, Graphic sexuality or pornography, Kidnapping
A New York sex worker spontaneously marries the son of a Russian oligarch, raising the ire of his family, in Anora. Anora (Mikey Madison), who prefers to go by the nickname Ani, is a sex worker who works in a New York City strip club. Due to her ability to speak Russian, Ani is introduced by her boss to Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), or Vanya to his friends, the vacationing son of a Russian oligarch. Vanya ends up paying Ani to be his girlfriend for a week and in the end, he decides to spontaneously marry Ani in Las Vegas to avoid having to return home to Russia. However, Vanya’s parents are furious when they find out and they send his Armenian Godfather Toros (Karren Karagulian), joined by heavies Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) and Igor (Yura Borisov), to find Vanya to get the marriage annulled.
Anora Synopsis
Anora is a dramedy written and directed by Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket), which stars Mikey Madison (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Scream) as the titular sex worker, who charms men in a strip club at night and visits Johns during the day. Ani gains a regular client with Ivan, aka Vanya, who she ends up spontaneously marrying after a weeklong fling. However, Vanya is quick to flee when his Godfather Toros arrives to get the marriage annulled and Ani is forced to accompany them on an all-night search for the Russian heir.
My Thoughts on Anora
Without a doubt, Anora will end up being the breakthrough role for Mikey Madison, who gives a very feisty and foul-mouthed performance as the titular character, sporting a thick Brooklyn accent that will undoubtedly elicit comparisons to Marisa Tomei‘s Academy Award-winning performance in My Cousin Vinny. However, the film’s plot is give or take, moving from fairytale romance in the first half to a darker second half, where Ani receives much prejudice for her occupation and discovers her new husband Ivan is an immature coward. The MVP of Anora might be Yura Borisov as Igor, who shares a major love/hate relationship with Ani and plays a pivotal role in the film’s poignant final scene.
Trailer for Anora – TIFF 2024
