Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have unlimited wealth bestowed upon you? Never have to work a day again in your life. And continue to go on with your days with next to no responsibility whatsoever. Only for this all to come crashing down in a matter of weeks following the arrival of your newlywed husband's Russian parents?
That is exactly the journey we see Anora embark on in the newest feature from critically acclaimed filmmaker, Sean Baker.
Anora, a young female stripper from Brooklyn, stumbles across a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the reckless and irresponsible Vanya Zakharov, the son of a Russian oligarch.
Once the sound of their wedding bells reaches the ears of those over in Russia, Anora's fairytale is disrupted as Vanya's parents set out to New York to see the marriage annulled immediately.
Mikey Madison does an exceptional job of introducing herself to the big stage in taking on the role of Anora, and undoubtedly gives us one of the best lead performances of the year with her portrayal of the young woman. From the first minute to the last, Madison does an outstanding job of stealing the attention of us audience members, and refusing to let go not even until the end credits begin to roll.
It definitely takes a certain level of maturity as well as class to take on a role such as this, but Madison grabs it with both hands and refuses to let go as she places herself in firm contention for a maiden Academy Award nomination in 2025. A star-making performance to say the very least.
But not only is it Madison that makes this cast worthy of it's well-deserved SAG Ensemble nomination, as the entire film is scattered with a handful of entertaining supporting performances. The most noteworthy of such taking shape through Yuriy Borisov's portrayal of the kind and caring Igor, hired by Vanya's parents to keep Anora at bay.
Borisovs light-hearted performance as Igor is the purest example of an actor doing a lot with a little. Despite not entering the storyline until mid-way through the second act, Borisov manages to match the standards that Madison is setting, especially throughout the final act of the film.
Although, on the surface, this film feels very straight-forward in the messages that it is attempting to convey and at first glance, possesses no hidden meaning or thought-provoking factors. It isn't until the very last few minutes of the film that we become really affected by the journey that Anora goes through.
Anora, a thick-skinned and ruthless individual who seems as though she has no care in the world what other people think to her, really shows her true colours in the final moments of this story and ultimately, show the true message of the film's entirety. And this final sequence is not only an ode to the actors involved, but to the filmmaking talent of Sean Baker.
PrimeTime Films Score: B+
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