JASON EVANS' 100-WORD REVIEWS: Anora

 A funny and emotional roller coaster

Film critic Jason Evans is on a mission to spread the word about movies in less time than it takes to watch a peep show. His reviews are exactly 100 words long (99 is too brief and 101 is a mouthful). Here is his 100-word review of Anora.


The Premise:
Anora “Ani” Mikheeva (Mikey Madison) is a stripper in a New York nightclub. Vanya, the party-loving son of a Russian oligarch, comes into the club and wants to be entertained by someone who speaks Russian. Ani gets the gig. Vanya invites Ani back to his luxurious home where he pays her to have sex and be his girlfriend for a week. They begin to connect and Vayna takes Ani to Las Vegas for the weekend where he proposes to her and they get married. But, when word of the marriage gets back to Vanya’s parents, they disapprove and send some local henchmen to force the couple to get an annulment. The film is written and directed by Sean Baker (The Florida Project, Red Rocket), who is known for his emotional portrayals sex workers. Anora won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and is considered and early favorite to earn multiple Oscar nominations.  

The 100-words: A funny and frenetic ride that is full of realistic characters and brilliant performances. I was rivetted to the story and quickly found myself caring deeply about Ani’s struggles. Mikey Madison is a star on the rise who is certain to earn numerous awards for this brave performance, but the film is much more than her. Baker’s script and deft direction gives us several stirring side characters, including the quiet henchman, Igor, who somehow becomes an essential part of the story. There is ample nudity and swearing but everything in the film feels honest. Do yourself a favor, see it!

Reach out to Jason Evans on Twitter @JasonDukeEvans

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