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Anora

Anora

  • THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF 2024

Let’s talk about Anora, Sean Baker’s latest concoction—a film that feels like someone tossed a drama and a comedy into a blender and forgot to put the lid on. The result? A chaotic mix of genres, subtitled mysteries, and an unforgettable performance by Mike Madison as Anora herself.

First off, let’s address the elephant in the screening room: the subtitles—or lack thereof. Watching this without subtitles meant missing at least 30% of the dialogue. But hey, who needs words when you’ve got vibes? The film’s premise is still clear, even if we’re left wondering how much danger Toros was really in or just how evil Vanya’s dad is. Seriously, was he mustache-twirling bad or “loan-shark-who-also-runs-a-charity” bad? Guess we’ll never know.

Mike Madison as Anora is a tour de force. She’s witty, confident, and oozes charisma, anchoring the film with a performance that demands your attention. But here’s the kicker: we don’t actually learn anything meaningful about Anora until the last 10 minutes, when she finally cracks her confident veneer and shows some vulnerability. And then? Roll credits. It’s like unwrapping a Christmas present only to find an IOU inside.

Meanwhile, Yura Borisov, Vache Tovmasyan, and Karren Karagulian deserve their own spin-off. Their trio brings comic relief to an otherwise heavy narrative, bumbling through an awful job that snowballs into a comedy of errors. You can’t help but feel bad for them, but you’re laughing all the way.

The film plays with contrasts—rich versus struggling, carefree versus different levels of carefree. The storytelling is a Cinderella tale, but instead of a glass slipper, Anora’s running around with shattered morals and making you root for her anyway. Baker’s direction is as sharp as ever, navigating this morally murky terrain with finesse.

However, the genre confusion is real. Is it a drama? A comedy? A dramedy with identity issues? While the subtle comedy lands, the drama sometimes gets buried under the untranslated dialogue. It’s all wrapped in mystery, with revelations popping up like popcorn kernels—sporadic and unpredictable.

But credit where it’s due: the pacing is flawless. There’s no filler, no downtime, just a relentless drive forward. You’re engaged from start to finish, even if you’re not entirely sure what’s happening half the time.

In the end, Anora shakes your morality to the core, challenging you to cheer for a protagonist whose life choices are questionable at best. It’s messy, mysterious, and morally complex—a Cinderella story gone real, real bad. And yet, you’ll find yourself unable to look away.

Final Verdict: Watch it, but maybe turn on the subtitles. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

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