A sign of a great movie is its ability to generate meaningful conversation and in the case of Anora, that box is firmly ticked.  I saw this with a friend at the Brisbane International Film Festival back in October and then chatted about it for a solid hour over dinner.  There’s much to scrutinize in terms of the characters (they all have good and not-so-good qualities) but also about the style adopted by writer-director Sean Baker (The Florida Project).

Played by soon-to-be-Oscar-nominated Mikey Madison, the title character is a 23-year-old exotic dancer from New York City.  Anora turns on the charm at a popular strip club and gets horny guys to hand over $100 bills in return for lap dances and kind words.  It’s through a fortunate coincidence (she’s the only stripper who can speak the language) that she meets an excitable 21-year-old Russian named Vanya (Eydelshteyn).  He’s got plenty of cash to splash around given he is the son of a well-known Russian business tycoon.

It’s not long before they’re spending every day together.  The immature Vanya is loving the abundant sex (he’s a novice in that department) and having a beautiful “girlfriend” to show off at his extravagant New Year’s Eve party.  The hard-working Anora is dazzled by the Russian’s money (he gives her $15,000 to be “exclusive” with him for a week) and stunning waterfront home.  Do they share a true romantic connection?  Or is it more transactional?  It’s one of many questions for audiences to ponder.

I won’t say much more about the premise because it does move in unexpected directions.  I’ll describe it as a movie of three sections.  The opening act is a fun, sexual romance between two interesting people, the middle act is a surprising screwball comedy, and the final act is a meatier drama with the consequences of certain actions coming to the fore (like waking up with a bad hangover and regretting the night before).  The ending is perfect.

The two stars, Mikey Madison (Scream) and Mark Eydelshteyn (The Land of Sasha), are exceptionally convincing as Anora and Vanya.  The dialogue between them feels so natural as the converse in a mix of English and Russian.  In the same manner as a Coen Brothers movie, the supporting players are all distinctive and memorable.  It’s hard to pick a favourite!  I also loved the way the film humanises “henchmen” and shows they’re more than just dispensable morons. 

Anora arrives with hype having won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May.  It’s a prize with a strong form line – the last four winners have been Parasite, Titane, Triangle of Sadness and Anatomy of a Fall (all are must-sees).  This year’s jury, presided over by filmmaker Greta Gerwig, deserve praise for another excellent choice.  One of the year’s best.