MINNEAPOLIS — Walking out of the matinee showing of “Anora” Sunday afternoon, movie-goers could be heard commenting on the number of people in the auditorium, some speculating the rise in attendance could be attributed to people "becoming more experimental with their movie viewing.”
This larger-than-expected audience was captivated by Sean Baker’s newest film, which mixes the resilience and magic of a romantic comedy with touches of chaos and anxiety.
Having won the highest prize at the 77th Cannes Film Festival — the Palme d’Or — independent film company, NEON, walked away with its fifth-straight win.
Perhaps the winning formula has something to do with the film's very strategic, theatrical role, allowing it to reach a wider audience. Here in the Twin Cities, “Anora” was selected as the November Screening of Minneapolis St. Paul Film Society’s Cinema Club.
Cinema Club is the film version of the book club. On the second Saturday of each month, members get together at The Main Cinema in northeast Minneapolis to watch films, join in discussions and share their perspectives with others in attendance.
The new film follows Ani — short for Anora — a 23-year-old exotic dancer at a New York City strip club. She commutes seven nights a week from Brighton Beach where she lives with her sister. Her mom lives in Miami and her dad doesn’t exist.
She does what she has to, but it's evident she isn't thrilled about her current situation.
One night while taking her break at work, her boss interrupts, stating he needs a girl who can speak Russian. Ani is the only girl who does, leading to her introduction to Ivan Zakharov, AKA “Vanya.”
Vanya is the son of a Russian oligarch who was allegedly in New York to study but could typically be found partying, playing video games and spending his parents' money instead.
After a lap dance, Vanya ends up requesting Ani’s presence outside of the club, eventually offering her $15,000 to be his girlfriend for the week. They spend the week being intimate and partying before the grand finale of their time together — a trip to Vegas — where they wind up married.
Just as she quits her job and allows herself to think that this could actually be her life, news of the wedding spreads across Russia. In response, Vanya’s parents arrange travel to America in hopes of bringing him home.
Meantime, they send Vanya's godfather, Torros, to arrange an annulment of the marriage.
This is where the rom-com ends.
Once Toros arrives, Vanya flees, leaving Ani to fend for herself against three men who will do God knows what to her if she doesn't cooperate. The house is in shambles by the time the second act of the film begins and Ani spends all night gallivanting around New York with Torros and his “goons” trying to find him — panicked about what might happen if they don’t.
Ani is a lot more guarded than Vanya, and a lot smarter, but she allows herself to be swept up to the point that she convinces herself that once Vanya’s parents are in New York Vanya will stand up to them, tell them he and Ani love each other, and they most certainly will not get an annulment. Who knows, maybe they’ll even try to get to know her and end up liking her. Right? Wrong.
Ultimately, Ani’s fantasy comes crashing down once she’s reunited with Vanya. First, he’s too drunk to hold a conversation; then, once his parents are present, not only will he not speak to her, but his parents load everyone up on their private jet to go to Vegas to get the marriage annulled.
Ani and Vanya both viewed their romance as transactional — rather than for love: She wanted his money and he wanted a green card. However, that doesn’t seem to soften the blow for Ani.
Ani gets one last night in Vanya’s father’s mansion where there is genuine conversation between her and Igor, allowing them both to feel less alone for the night. Once back at her Brighton Beach home, Igor, one of Torros' associates, gives Ani her wedding ring that was taken in the annulment process, offering her empathy and understanding.
Accustomed to living a transactional life, Ani attempts to repay this gesture by initiating sex with him, but once he tries to kiss her (the most intimate act for a sex worker), she pulls back and breaks down.
The brilliance of the film is in the cast’s portrayal of their characters.
Mark Eidelshtein’s charisma has him touted as “the Russian Timothee Chalamet,” while Mikey Madison is spellbinding as the titular character. Madison allows her mask to fall for the audience, effectively communicating both her heartbreak and hope for change, while simultaneously hiding any emotion or vulnerability from everyone else.
You may know Madison for her great performance in Quinten Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood” but “Anora” proves she’s a star — and you won’t want to miss it.
The November MSP Film Cinema Club screening of “Anora” happens on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. You can find information about the club here or check showtimes at a theatre near you here.
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
- Add KARE 11+ on Roku here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Roku Channel Store.
- Add KARE 11+ on Fire TV here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Amazon App Store.
- Learn more about the KARE 11+ app for Apple TV in the Apple App Store.
- Learn more about KARE 11+ here.
