Anora
“It’s not Anora, it’s Ani,” claims the head-strong lead, who shines as bright as her red hair tinsel in the role of Sean Baker’s “Anora.”
The 97 Academy Awards, commonly referred to as the Oscars are set to take place March 2. This year’s Best Picture contenders tell stories from post-war time Europe, Mexico — with a musical twist — and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn where the one and only Ani calls home. “Anora,” set in modern times, follows the story of exotic nightclub dancer Ani who gets her chance at a “Cinderella story” by marrying the son of a Russian oligarch Vanya, whom she meets through the club.
When news of Vanya and Ani’s nuptials makes it way back to his parents, viewers follow Ani, Vanya and a group of Russian henchmen as they navigate a chaotic 48 hours of fighting, running, searching and screaming, all in hopes of achieving a happy ending.
The heart of this film most definitely lies within Ani herself. Played by actress Mikey Madison, who received an Academy Award nomination for this role, Ani’s Brooklyn boldness and attitude are qualities so unseen it transports the viewer right into Brighton Beach. Her tenacity and big dreams are what connect her with all the young Gen-Z women navigating the lost feeling that comes with their early 20s.
Her romantic counterpart Vanya also embodies a different part of early adulthood: the classic “Peter Pan Syndrome.” Vanya, played by Mark Eydelshteyn, is a 21-year-old on vacation from Russia who is running, both literally and metaphorically, from a perfectly laid-out path to adulthood via working for his father. The chosen ignorance and indifference Vanya displays throughout the film goes to show his fear of losing out on life despite seeming to have wealth and power.
The two act as foils for each other’s dreams as Vanya is seeking the freedom that Ani seems to have in America, where in turn, Ani is searching for a fuller lifestyle, more than her life at the nightclub.
The editing of this film creates a rollercoaster-like feeling as viewers experience the loud highs of partying and chaotic fighting, followed by sudden silent lows as the characters become disoriented with themselves and those around them. It is also a peak into the reality behind working the nightlife crowds anywhere and humanizes those who profit off the party scene.
The cinematography of Brighton Beach is understated as it propels the story forward. The use of lighting to portray Ani’s experience is simple and clean as it lets the larger-than-life personalities of its characters take center stage.
The one fault of this film is the soundtrack tends to fail to flow from scene to scene. The movie is chaotic as can be, thus this could be a stylistic choice that is harder to pick up on. With nightclub music especially, it is difficult to find variation in that while still enhancing the story. In contrast, the writing, paired with exceptional acting, brightens and adds all the personality to this extremely unique film like neon club lights.
Anora (2024)
In addition to Vanya and Ani, the complex characters, especially that of the Russian henchman Igor, are the perfect salt on the rim throughout the film. Igor, played by Yuriy Borisov serves as almost a reflection of Ani. Shots of her point of view often have him in the background watching and experiencing with her. He acts as the only person who respects her as someone fighting for their happiness and the only one who sees her beyond the girl Vanya married. When he offers her the red scarf because she is cold, it shows how he is the only one who sees her as human. Igor’s empathy for Ani is a highlight of this film that gives it rank among the other Oscar contenders.
As young adults, we are often trying our best to survive this new world of responsibility — Igor’s empathy feels foreign because it’s kindness we rarely give ourselves, let alone others. He watches as Ani runs from her mysterious past to a future of uncertainty — one that has her refusing to answer to Anora, a name of Russian heritage meaning honor — the same Anora who only knows two things: to love and to fight, and she fights like hell. So much so viewers may find themselves agreeing with Igor, whose name means great warrior, at the end of the film when he says, “I like Anora better.”