ANORA

TIFF 24 REVIEW BY: DARREN ZAKUS

DATE: OCTOBER 13, 2024

RATING: 4 out of 5

Anora shines bright thanks to an incredible lead performance from Mikey Madison that brings to life Sean Baker’s wild, quick paced and hilarious newest film that is without a question one of the most entertaining films of the year and Baker’s most commercial film to date.

As a filmmaker, Sean Baker has a fascination with telling human stories within darker settings that evoke outstanding performances from his lead actors, as previously seen with films like The Florida Project and Red Rocket. But, he reaches new heights with his latest film that won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Venice Film Festival and placed as the second runner up for the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, in a film that simultaneously captures his same unbounded energy as a writer and director that is infused with a passion for embracing a darkness within our world that is mixed with a beauty and wicked comedic style. There is no denying Baker’s talent behind the camera as he delivers one film that will have audiences laughing pretty much nonstop, but it is the star making turn from Mikey Madison that makes Anora an unforgettable night out at the movies.

What starts off as a more X rated version of Pretty Woman in the first act transforms into an all-nighter homage to Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, and it's one wild ride you will have to strap yourself in for. If you have seen the trailer for the Anora, you have only seen the tip of the iceberg of the film, which is nice as marketing has been giving away far too much of films lately, and Baker’s latest tour de force is one film that is meant to be discovered, not spoiled. The first act feels like a dark, fairy tale love story as you watch Vanya fall head over heels for Ani after buying time with her, with their whirlwind romance sweeping the audience away with them. But as the film enters its bonkers second and third act, Baker’s humorous writing and tone will have audiences bursting into laughter throughout as Ani conjures up a whirlwind of chaos and leaves a path of destruction in her wake while trying to remain one step ahead of Toros, Igor and Vanya’s parents. It’s an exciting watch that manages to sustain its high energy over the entire run time, even if you do start to feel the film’s length in the final twenty minutes as there was definitely a stronger two hour cut of this story left on the editing room floor. As Ani’s situation continuously grows more and more out of hand, Baker’s screenplay does not lose Ani or her character arc over the course of the film which completes her natural growth from where we first met her, even if the film leaves her in one incredibly dark place… but that should come as no shock to fans of Baker’s films. 

All the praise that Anora is receiving would not exist if it were not for Madison’s stunning lead performance as Ani. Having largely starred in supporting roles up to this point, Madison takes her starring moment and delivers one excellent performance. She is absolutely captivating and drives the entire film from start to finish with her fierce portrayal of this young woman out of her depth and fighting to maintain the upper hand in the situation she finds herself in. Madison’s comedic timing never waivers for a second as she hurls out insults, nor does her impeccable accent, but it is both the physicality and vulnerability that she brings to Ani that makes her a character that audiences can’t help but to care for despite her seedier line of business. Without question, Madison delivers one of the biggest star-making performances of the year with one performance that audiences cannot stop talking about that will most likely catapult her into the Best Actress race, but will definitely change the trajectory of her career forever. 

While this is no doubt Madison’s show, and for good reason, the film would be nothing without the supporting performances of Karren Karagulian and Yuriy Borisov. As Toros and Igor, the two gangsters hired by Vanya’s parents to break up him and Ani, Karagulian and Borisov match Madison’s energy at every turn as the three of them create some of the film’s funniest moments. Karagulian has a wicked comedic timing as he captures the tired and frustrated handler trying to capture the rogue Vanya, while Borisov has some beautiful moments of compassion as the one character who truly cares for Ani amongst a group of individuals who are more than willing to toss her aside. If Madison is getting awards buzz, both Karagulian and Borisov deserve to be generating the same buzz as the film does not work without their committed and strong supporting performances.

Even if I am still questioning whether Sean Baker’s stripper Cinderella-esque romance film is going to be the one film to sweep this year’s awards season, it is without a question my favourite from Baker to date. Every bit as funny and zany as it is heartbreaking, Sean Baker flexes his creative talents throughout Anora as he mixes romance with Russian gangsters and one memorable all-nighter, conjuring up one wild and nonstop cinematic experience that is sure to generate lots of laughter. Led by a truly stunning Mikey Madison in a career defining performance, Sean Baker lets his muse soar in one rambunctious cinematic experience that lets his creative storytelling talents loose that makes Anora one of the most entertaining and truly unforgettable films of the year.