Anora

"Anora" is a film that's been getting a lot of buzz lately. Ever since they released the first image from the film, I kept it under my radar.  I entered this film with some expectations but I was not expecting to love this film THAT MUCH! "Anora" follows Anora, a sex worker from Brooklyn, who gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. 

Before I start talking about anything else, I must praise Mikey Madison's masterful performance. Everything from her accent to her facial expressions and body movements was perfect! She was insane in this role, and I'm glad she's getting the recognition she deserves out there! On that note, I must praise the rest of the cast here! Mike Eydelshteyn, Vache Tovmasyan, and Karren Karagulian delivered some phenomenal performances, but the one actor who really killed it with his performance was Yuriy Borisov, who played Igor in the film! I won't spoil anything, but his character was great in the film! Now, let's talk about the story here. That was such a fun, chaotic, sad love story! Baker perfectly balances drama and comedy and creates something truly special here! The ending, in particular, was beautiful, in my opinion. I won't spoil anything, but It's one of the best endings I've seen in my life! 

Now, for 2 hours and 20 min, the film never feels long and will leave you wanting more after the credits roll! Last but not least,  I must praise the cinematography by Drew Daniels. This film is so immaculately shot and so beautiful to see on a big screen that I can't help but praise Drew Daniels. The last 10 minutes or so are so beautifully shot and live rent-free in my head! Finally, I must praise the man behind it all: Sean Baker. Baker is, in my opinion, one of the best American filmmakers out there right now, and this film is proof of that! I can keep talking and talking about this film, but words cannot express how good of a film "Anora" is, so stop reading my review and go experience one of the best films of 2024!