Going into Anora having basically no knowledge of the filmmaker / movie prior besides realizing afterwards that Sean Baker also directed Tangerine back in the day and I just so happen to have to written about over 10 years ago (it was shot completely on an iPhone in case you didn’t know), I thoroughly enjoyed its roughly 2 hour entirety and appreciated the attention to every main character’s minor details that sprinkled the film with moments of humor and enjoyment.
Baker’s Anora, who if she were reading this, would want the film to be called Annie, living in present-day Brooklyn, more specifically Coney Island (yes the Coney Island Pier makes an appearance in some of the shots that are perfect, for the fans).
Anora, Annie, if you will, is working at a Manhattan strip club / lounge on 33rd Street and is basically the shit, let’s be real: Mikey Madison gave one hell of a performance that was so much fun to watch; the details of her character made the whole movie—everything from the glittering hair to her deep Brooklyn accent and crazy antics, shit talking, exotic dance performances—it felt like we were best friends by the end.
Her co-star Mark Eidelstein as Ivan was “no too shabby” either: the lovable (but also at times over-the-top cringe) fling of a lifetime who she meets by chance at the strip club, (who was also low-key hilarious and so on-point for a real life personality), gives us a fun chase all around NYC watching his “team” all search for him after a(nother) bender. His outfits and style portrayed a phenomenon of a extravagant new money aesthetic lifestyle, that includes completely turning a random girl’s life upside down on any given Tuesday to go to Vegas on his parent’s private jet and well—I don’t want to give too much away!
My favorite part of the film has to be the antics of Ivan. He makes Anora so much fun with his commentary, jokes, weed smoking addiction; the two really bounce off of each other in a completely natural way that feels like you are really living in the story, and the two’s raw performances of Ivan and Annie will make you want to fall in love for the hell of it as well, as they truly were so perfect together (though: too good to be true!)
Definitely go see Anora if you’re wondering what it would be like to get hitched to oligarch money randomly by chance and want to have some fun. At the very least, you will be entertained and definitely have some laughs along the way.
