12 Sep TIFF REVIEW – ‘Anora’ is a refreshing, entertaining, and surprisingly moving comedic masterpiece

You’re going to hear a lot of people say Anora is this generation’s Pretty Woman. Sure, both films feature a tough, intelligent, and confident female sex worker as their lead character, but that’s really where the similarities end. While Julia Roberts found true romance with her gentleman suitor, that’s not really writer/director Sean Baker‘s intention with his latest masterwork that continues his dedication to telling human stories that remove the stigma around sex work.

A brilliant romantic comedy with plenty of laughs but an equal measure of humanity, heart, and a little dash of tragedy, Anora is Baker’s most “accessible” film to date, but one no less sublime than everything else in his impressive back catalogue. Led by an absolute firecracker of a performance from the sensational Mikey Madison and elevated by one of the best screenplays of the year, Anora manages to be both wildly entertaining and deeply thought-provoking. Baker does it again with the film that might finally see him add “Oscar nominee” to his name.

Our titular character prefers to go by Ani (Madison), a moniker she adopts while working at a Brooklyn strip club in the Russian-heavy district of Brighton Beach. With Uzbek heritage, Ani is mildly fluent in Russian, causing her to be often given Russian-speaking clients by her boss at the club. When Ani is assigned to man-child Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), the spoilt son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, she sees an opportunity to score some quick cash from this instantly smitten and endlessly horny 20-something.

After accepting payment to take things further back at Ivan’s (well, his parents’) mansion, he offers to hire Ani as his “girlfriend” for an entire week. Before long, they’re hopping aboard a private jet for more partying in Vegas where Ivan shares his despair at having to return to Russia and begin working for his father. In his drunken state, Ivan thinks he’s found a solution; if the pair get married, his parents will have to let him stay. A quicky late-night wedding follows and Ani thinks her Cinderella fantasy is complete.

Just as Ani begins to envision her fairytale ending, news of their marriage reaches Russia. Naturally, Ivan’s parents (Aleksei Serebryakov and Darya Ekamasova) are less than thrilled with their son’s impulsive decision and demand Ivan’s imposing godfather, Toros (Karren Karagulian) clean up this mess. Toros barges into the family mansion with his goons Garnick (Vache Tovmaysan) and Igor (Yura Borisov), demanding the marriage be annulled. After hearing his parents are on their way to America, Ivan flees, forcing Toros to take Ani captive in a bid to find his bratty godson before Mum and Dad arrive.

In a performance surely destined for an Oscar nomination (and maybe even a win), Madison is a damn revelation. As the stripper who truly takes no bullshit from anyone, she delivers a performance so electric, so brimming with energy, that it’s impossible to take your eyes off her. Ani is a character who, in less capable hands, could easily have come across as grating or one-dimensional, but Madison imbues her with a complexity that’s nothing short of brilliant. She’s loud, she’s brash, she’s quick to throw out a sarcastic one-liner—but there’s a vulnerability beneath her tough exterior that makes her feel real, grounded, and deeply loveable.

The role of Ani feels tailor-made for her, and Madison absolutely owns it. Whether she’s tossing off zingers, using her sexuality to get what she wants, or engaging in physical comedy, she has an innate sense of rhythm that keeps the laughs coming at a rapid pace. But what makes her performance truly stand out is the way she effortlessly transitions between humour and heart. One moment, she’s cracking a joke, and the next, she’s delivering a gut punch of emotion that leaves you reeling, especially in the film’s final moments. It’s a masterclass in balancing comedy with depth, and Madison nails it at every turn. This is the very definition of a star-making role.

Eydelshteyn is perfectly cast as the immature, ignorant, and insolent rich kid who clearly knows nothing of the real world. When reality finally starts to knock, he runs like the impudent little shit he really is. In saying that, there is a bizarre charm to Ivan before his true juvenile character reveals itself. That’s a testament to Eydelshteyn’s strangely alluring performance. He’ll make you adore Ivan before you want to slap him in the face. But it’s Borisov who really steals focus as the seemingly brutish thug who’s ultimately the only one who sees Ani as an actual human being and just a pawn in Ivan’s impish game. If Madison is the film’s heart, Borisov is its soul. Give him his flowers too, awards season.

Unsurprisingly, another of the greatest strengths of Anora is Baker’s razor-sharp script. The dialogue is punchy, fast-paced, and loaded with wit, making the film feel like a madcap ride from start to finish. Each scene crackles with energy, thanks to the script’s clever use of humour to highlight the absurdity of the situations Ani finds herself in. The banter between characters is quick and often laugh-out-loud funny, keeping the audience on their toes and fully engaged in the story’s twists and turns.

What’s particularly impressive about the script is how it never sacrifices its comedic elements for its deeper themes. While the film is undeniably funny, it’s also a biting critique of class disparity and the power imbalances that dictate who gets to thrive and who gets left behind. While seemingly a fun and ridiculous premise, the hunt for Ivan across Brooklyn serves as a metaphor for the larger game being played in society—where the wealthy make the rules, and the working class have no chance to win.

Baker has always been a filmmaker and a screenwriter with the innate ability to blend the madcap with the meaningful. The film is, at its core, a comedy—a riotous, fast-paced, often ridiculous comedy that delivers laugh after laugh. But it’s also a film with substance, one that uses its humour to explore deeper societal issues without ever feeling like it’s bogging down the fun. The result is a film that is both wildly entertaining and intellectually stimulating, a rare combination that few comedies manage to achieve.

With Baker pulling triple duty as the film’s editor, the pacing is brisk, with each scene building on the last in a way that keeps the momentum going strong throughout. There’s never a dull moment, as Ani and Ivan’s chaotic “love” story leads from one hilarious misadventure to the next, each more outrageous than the last. But amidst the chaos, there are moments of genuine emotional depth, where the film slows down just enough to let us catch our breath and connect with the characters on a deeper level. It’s this balance between comedy and heart that makes Anora such a knockout.

There is no doubt Anora is one of the best films of the year. If the Academy can overcome its usual aversion to sex and drug use, it might even end up taking Best Picture. Hell knows something this refreshing, entertaining, and surprisingly moving deserves to take such a crown. If he hadn’t already proven his worth, Baker merely continues to stamp his claim as one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. And one of the rare male screenwriters who knows how to effectively craft authentic female characters. With the sublime Madison bringing his words to life, Baker strikes pure gold in this supremely enjoyable and deceptively powerful masterpiece. Do not miss this film.

Distributor: Neon
Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Darya Ekamasova, Aleksey Serebryakov
Director: Sean Baker
Producer: Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, Sean Baker
Screenplay: Sean Baker
Cinematography: Drew Daniels
Production Design: Stephen Phelps
Costume Design: Jocelyn Pierce
Editor: Sean Baker
Music: Matthew Hearon-Smith
Running Time: 139 minutes
Release Date: 18th October 2024 (US), 26th December 2024 (Australia)