Top Film of 2024: Anora
This past Friday after over a year of being at a movie theater. I desperately wanted to go. Anora came up as an option and the story was interesting however the trailer did not spoil at all what was about to happen in this 2 hour and 19 minute film. Starring Mikey Madison, Sean Baker created this movie specifically for her. We begin the film by learning about the main female lead “Anora” but prefers being called “Ani” working as an exotic dancer in a Manhattan club and bar called Headquarters. One night she was approached by HQ staff as a male customer asked for a woman that can speak Russian. Ani meets Ivan or “Vanya” as his nickname and they hit it off with a night of passion that leads Vanya to continually engage with Ani. We learn that Vanya and his family are very wealthy but when one night in Vegas leads to Ani and Vanya to marry it becomes chaos. The second half of the film is a whirlwind with action, comedic moments and ultimately feeling sympathetic for Ani.
Spoilers ahead!
While thinking about the events of the movie, I feel much sympathy for Ani as she truly wanted to believe her and Vanya had a connection and would be married forever. We see that Vanya is an immature young man at 21 who will heed to his parents in order to continually use their money for his drug and party habits. The upside is that a side character named Igor while trying to keep Ani in the parents house once Vanya runs off. Igor isn’t trying to hurt her but to keep her safe leading him to have to hold her until the mission of finding Vanya with Toros commences. Igor and Ani have moments where she is hesitant of him because of his actions in the beginning and tends to act cold towards him. However Igor is kind to ani even offering her a scarf on the cold boardwalk but is shut down because it was the same scarf she was gagged with not that long ago. She ended up taking it in the end as they continue on finding Vanya. Up till the end we see Igor offering Ani alcohol on the plane on the way to Vegas after realizing Vanya didn’t truly love her and was following his parents order. Igor also escorted her back home and took care of her till the end of the film where we see Ani being at her most vulnerable. In my head im imagining the two of them together in happiness.
Controversy?
Of course I was curious on other people’s thoughts on the film as myself and my girlfriend enjoyed it a lot. The one comment that pissed me off was calling this film “for the male gaze” and putting down the key components of this film when it’s obviously around a woman sex worker. It’s a no brainer that some sexual imagery and nudity is shown when telling the story. However it is NOT a 2 hour and 19 min film around this only. There’s parts in it but it wasn’t overly inappropriate in my opinion. Sex workers who are women face enough stigma and judgment when most of these women are only doing it to survive. Ani is no different, it is her job, her source of income but she is still a woman that deserves respect and love. Ani wanted Vanya to be her forever husband she clearly developed feelings for the guy but he did not reciprocate.
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