Sean Baker is famous for deliberately casting no-name actors or people who have not been in a motion picture in his films to create an atmosphere closer to reality with the stories he is focusing on.
His newest release, “Anora” (2024), stars Mikey Madison as Anora “Ani” Mikheeva, a 23-year-old stripper from the Russian-speaking neighborhood of Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York. Although she has been in notable work before, Madison’s presence is unmatched and brings Anora to life.
In “Anora,” she perfectly blends in with the life of a savvy stripper working with other young women in sleazy strip clubs. Her Brooklyn accent is on point too; there aren’t any times in the film where her accent feels forced or exaggerated. Anyone unaware of who Madison is probably would think she’s originally from Brooklyn.
One night while working at the strip club, Ani meets Ivan “Vanya” Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn) and the two spend most of the night with each other. Vanya takes an interest in Ani and invites her to his parents’ mansion, beginning to pay her for many sexual encounters.
Ani questions Vanya about who he is and what he does to get such a lavish life, to which he responds by telling her he is the son of a wealthy oligarch. Vanya is supposed to be studying while in America but likes to party and play video games instead. Vanya’s parents pay his godfather Toros (Karren Karagulian), henchmen Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) and Igor (Yura Borisov) to watch him.
During a trip to Las Vegas, Vanya proposes to Ani. Ani is initially skeptical but agrees to marry him. After hearing the news online about the marriage, Vanya’s parents are ashamed and order Toros, Garnick and Igor to find the couple and arrange an annulment as they fly back to America to pick Vanya up.
Under Toros’ command, Garnick and Igor go to the mansion but are unable to keep Vanya at bay as he runs away. However, they do manage to apprehend Ani. Once Toros arrives and explains the situation to her, the four drive together to many different parts of Brooklyn to find Vanya and officially split up the marriage.
“Anora” seems like a pretty straightforward film on the surface, but it is the exact opposite. The film is divided into two halves: a more Cinderella story of young love and the desperate cold, dingy street search to find an immature son.
To Baker’s credit, this choice does not necessarily feel like an attempt to fool the audience. Rather, it plays out how real life would. In typical fashion, Baker does a fantastic job incorporating world-building in his films.
Every location, from the strip club where Ani works to Vanya’s million-dollar mansion, has enough detail that creates a sense of character. Never in any of Baker’s films do the settings feel or look inauthentic.
Another one of Baker’s special touches is his wonderful editing. The first half, in particular, uses many slick jump cuts when characters are conversing. Baker’s eye for which shots should be included in the final version is masterful during montage sequences.
The film would be nothing without Madison’s performance, however. It is the type of role not many actresses could pull off because of how Madison takes on the life of being a stripper. She is marvelous and lovely in “Anora,” and it would be a crime if she doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
Her co-star, Eydelshteyn, deserves his flowers as well. Vanya is like so many young adults who never had good parents to discipline him for his inappropriate actions. What he does to Ani makes him instantly hateable. After meeting his folks however, the audience knows why he behaves that way.
“Anora” is pure movie magic and is one of the best films of 2024 without debate. It provides an experience many will never forget and can make some viewers feel a little blue once they see the final scene. It is currently playing in select theaters.
Rating: 5/5
