| Sean Baker knows how to structure a film. Like all good stories, there are three distinct acts. Most viewers are apparently expecting only Act 1 because it tells the beginnings of a story where other movies end (hello Pretty Woman). Ani, short for Anora, (Mikey Madison) is a stripper and call girl; working at a large, high-end strip club, she gets hired by Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn) a young, obscenely rich Russian party boy. | | 2024
Directed by: Sean Baker
Screenplay by: Sean Baker
Starring: Mikey Madison
|
She first gets selected because Ivan requested (and when you’re that rich, you get whatever you want) a girl who speaks Russian. That’s Ani. She was raised by a Russian grandmother so she understands the language and can speak a little Russian but not very well. Ani has a lot of entertaining attributes, but her ability to understand Russian is my favourite. Most other characters when they meet her or hear of her, assume she’s a young, dumb American prostitute and starts speaking in Russian around her, and then are absolutely shocked when she joins their conversation. She can also pick up on a few words in other Eastern European languages to equally entertaining reactions.
From paying her at the club to paying for a night of sex, to paying her to be his live-in girlfriend, Ivan likes hanging out with Ani. I personally think the movie does not give us much of Ani’s opinion on purpose (to allow for more consideration in explaining her actions in act 2 and 3). I don’t believe she has a particularly high opinion of Ivan, but she definitely likes his money, and not having any other jobs and no responsibilities. Everything good does not last. Unless you’re just in the audience, the movie gets way better.
The middle part of the movie, where so many others slow down and get serious, Anora gets funny; very funny despite a serious undercurrent with the arrival of Ivan’s parents’ henchman, two big tough guys from Armenia who no doubt inflict violence and torture so their bosses get their way. We’re never really scared for Ani’s safety, partly because they view her as just a girl, they’re not there to hurt her, they are there to scare Ivan straight, and also, Ani can take care of herself. Such that by the time the next big boss arrives, the two henchmen are the ones in physical pain. I really don’t want to spoil too much, but rest assured it’s reasonably action-heavy and flat-out hilarious.
The third act arrives with the arrival of Ivan’s parents, and Ani is initially very excited by their arrival. She insists she gives good parent. But Ani is about to meet her match. The third act is about finally stripping Ani down to her real self. Given her profession, she has no doubt put up carefully constructed walls that do not look like walls, allowing her to never get taken advantage of but still being able to play the sweet, sexy girlfriend. We actually get to see in real time Ani continually shift her strategy on how to deal with Ivan’s parents and try to keep herself on top, until it finally breaks her.
At many times, Anora is a flat-out hilarious movie, but it’s ultimately a heart-breaking story of a young woman who has always had to wear a fake heart over top of her naked body but then lets herself live a fantasy life which was indeed too good to be true.
|
