January 20, 2025
Anora

Screened on VOD. Every now and then a film is released that I've been looking forward to for months, only to take a few more months to get around to finally seeing it. That's what happened with Anora, the latest film from American auteur Sean Baker, whose films include Starlet, Tangerine, The Florida Project, and most recently, Red Rocket. I wasn't just looking forward to what he'd been up to, but also very excited to see that I was not the only one who saw what a great performance Mikey Madison led on the former FX television series from Pamela Adlon, Better Things. It's an outstanding show with great performances, and I was quite taken aback by Madison's take on the eldest daughter role. Though she had a small part in Quentin Tarantino's last film from a few years ago, I was certainly hoping better for her clear talents, and seeing Mr Baker was going to showcase her in his latest, well I didn't really feel hyped - I just KNEW it was going to be good. Maybe that's why it took so long to see the darn thing - the greatness WILL be there when I get around to it, so no rush.
Compared to Baker's earlier films, there is a definite change in tone here that is ever so slight. All of his trademarks are there, and the vibe is clearly his own, but there's something a bit more, I guess mainstream about this one? I hesitate saying that, perhaps just due to the choice of that word, but there is a noticeable shift here that is neither welcome or unwelcome. It's just .... noticeable enough that I was a tad worried during a few brief moments. By the end though, the full display of humanity that one should come to expect from Baker shines through the brightest. That humanity is what I've enjoyed most of his work, that he goes against stereotype, and against cinematic tropes, to present sides of people we normally may not be able to relate to (and some sadly look down on) that leads us to unavoidable connections with his characters. Here it was Anora, and her Cinderella story, and wanting to believe in it and its outcome, only to be dashed at the end once the bigger picture comes into focus. She's a sex worker we are rooting for and want the best for, and for the majority here you feel it IS her destiny. But like her, we get caught up in it, and are unable to see the full story of what's happening. It's not necessarily bad how it all turns out, it's just unfortunate with a heavy dose of naivety.
Anora is a fun trip, with funny moments (this IS a comedy 90% of the time), with Baker's subtle artistic flairs bringing it all together by the end. By not shying away from the naked realities of life, and instead confronting them and the people themselves head-on, it is so much more rewarding. Not for dramatic effect, but simply to get to these characters better, and show their humanity within. It's admirable and comes across as very sincere, right down to the ending that made me scream for Anora 2, as I want to know this character turned out OK. Like in real life, we don't find out, and are in fact left to question what her destiny is. C'est la vie!