Film: Anora [2024] – Mikey Madison, Paul Weissman on Prime Video

Anora is bright and energetic with a bit of empathy towards its characters in its third act. A film that comes together in its final moments, anchored by Mikey Madison’s star-making turn.

Written and directed by Sean Baker, Anora is a f—-d up Cinderella story about the ways in which our capitalistic society regularly makes financial security and uninhibited self-expression mutually exclusive. Chaotic to the extreme, especially in the first half, the movie explores a lot of modern, and ancient, themes, while doing something interesting: It manages to give grace at the beginning and density at the end.

Hilarious and heartfelt, Mikey Madison is a revelation as the title character dropped into a modern-day, adult version of a romantic fairy tale. Did she deserve the best actress nomination? Yes. However, I don’t think she would have one if it weren’t for all the controversy around Emilia Perez.

In fact, Baker masterfully explores economic inequality, turning the marriage between an escort and a wealthy and bratty heir into a gripping power struggle. The richer you are, the more out-of-touch you become.

To be honest, during the first act of this 139-minute gem of originality, I had zero idea where the story was going. In 2024, that’s a rare achievement. Yes, I get all the awards buzz and nominations, but also, and that’s just my opinion, I don’t think it was the best movie in 2024.

Should You Watch It?

Anora does touch on Big Themes like class warfare and female empowerment, but primarily, it’s a genre-bending mix of screwball comedy, unlikely romance, thriller, and character-drama that keeps the pace up and the laughs coming throughout. Even when you’re grabbing the box of tissues.

Where Can I Watch It?

You can stream Anora on Prime Video.