Anora (2024)

Anora (2024). 2h 19m | R

“Sean Baker returns to his wheelhouse of exploring the dingy edges of society. This is a story of tormented love, a fiery look at how a young woman, scraping by as a sex worker in Brooklyn, sees her hopes and dreams become insanely real when she meets her prince charming, the son of a Russian oligarch. Their chemistry is instant and spellbinding. Her life changes dramatically as they get married.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMikey Madison is miraculous as the young woman whose fairy tale dream comes alive. But unlike Elizabeth Taylor in u0026quot;Butterfield 8u0026quot; or Elisabeth Shue in u0026quot;Leaving Las Vegasu0026quot;, the female protagonist here never becomes the classic hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold. She remains tough as nails, chock full of rage and ready to throw her next punch until the very end. While she never becomes a savory person, her resolve never wanes. She knows how to stick up for herself and rejects with fury those who fail in this regard. Itu0026#39;s one of the best performances of the year.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eJust when you think you know where this is going, it upends your expectations and proves to be a much more challenging film with a sobering reality at its core. Many have referred to this as partly a comedy. In all honesty, thatu0026#39;s a bit of a stretch, notwithstanding a dark sense of humor. Fair warning, this film is pretty taxing on the psyche. You might be exhausted in the end. But itu0026#39;s a memorable film that will leave you in devastated awe. Recommended to the highest degree.”