Twenty-five year old Anora (Mikey Madison), works as a lap dancer and sometimes prostitute in Brooklyn. One night, she meets a young Russian son of an oligarch called Ivan (Mark Eidelshtein) in her club. He pays her to visit his lavish house and then to pose as his girlfriend for a week. During that time, they take a trip to Vegas with his friends, where he proposes and they marry. When his parents find out they send men to his house to force an annulment, whilst they fly to the country.
My opinion of Anora changed a few times during the 139 minute run time. In the initial stages, I was fully invested in the lives of spirited Anora and her co-workers. But then I struggled to believe that such a streetwise woman would really fall for such an immature 21 year old or believe that she had a future with him when his whole lifestyle is completely dependant on his parents. What’s more he and his friends were so obnoxious and entitled, it was a bit of a struggle to watch their antics. I have seen this described as a Cinderella story, but the prince in that had more than money…the clue is in the name.
But the second half of the film is excellent. When the parent’s men arrive at the house, Ivan runs off. That results in a number of funny sequences as Anora first puts up a fight, and then spends a night with them racing round New York trying to find her errant husband. I also really liked the sweetly touching final scene.
Madison is a fantastic force of nature who is sure to be a front runner in the best actress categories come awards season, and Yura Borisov is great as the henchman who takes a shine to Anora.
Ultimately, like Sean Baker’s Tangerine and The Florida Project, I found it patchy but when it was good, it was very good indeed.
Rating: 8 out of 10