Karl’s review published on Letterboxd:
For those hungering for sex in current American cinema, Sean Baker has answered your call. I’m not talking about sex for the sake of gawking but rather the kind that tells a story and informs character. I was in awe of scenes that say so much without a word. That's not to say this is one of those quiet films where character don't say much. Far from it. It is filled with hilarious and clever dialogue. It’s simultaneously one of the funniest and saddest of the year. The sadness comes from the euphoria of sharing a moment in time with someone as if you’re on a bullet train only for it to come to a screeching halt. The warning signs were there but the fleeting fairy tale was too powerful to acknowledge them.
I first took notice of Mikey Madison in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. She had a fire about her that made her stand out. In Scream (2022) while she wasn’t one of the lead characters, she was one of the more interesting one. She even fell into her own cinematic universe where her fate is remarkably similar in both films. I’d hoped she’d get a bigger role. Baker, who said he saw her in both films, also was struck by her screen presence.
As Anora, Madison gives a star making performance. The camera loves her. Like all my favorite performances, she exhibits the perfect balance of strength and vulnerability. Russian actor Mark Eidelshtein is also excellent as the twink, fuck boy du jour that seems to see Anora more as a toy than a person. He’s responsible for some of the funniest moments. There's a lot of great physical comedy here and he has one of the most hilarious moments. The audience laughed with glee. If you've seen it you probably know the part.
Shot on 35mm and made to mirror films of the 70s, Anora is a gorgeous film in a cold gritty world. I loved the way it captures Coney Island and Brighton Beach. The use of music is also bangin’ (as Annie would say). I think I have found a new favorite to watch during winter. There's a shot involving snow that's probably my favorite of the year.
This was my *second time seeing it and it has a cozy quality to it. You just want to sit back and hang out with these crazy wacky characters that Baker refreshingly refuses to judge or patronize. The sadness has little to do with Anora being a sex worker. It's more complex and universal than that. I appreciate Baker bringing us into this world without othering the characters. It's an often more joyful experiencer than a devastating one. The epitome of bittersweet.
*The first time I saw this was with a coworker, who decided to join me after work. He hated it! I sensed that he wasn't vibing with it but tried not to let it interfere with my viewing. It's always a bummer to sit with someone who doesn't get a movie that you clearly do. Tbh, I found the middle to be a bit repetitive. It felt like it was spinning its wheels. On a second viewing I enjoyed every minute.
His main issue was the length. I told him maybe Sean Baker shouldn't have edited it and I agreed to a certain extent. I didn't try to convince him that his overall opinion was wrong. I did tell him I thought the film was a lot deeper than he gave it credit for. Unlike me he hated spending time with the characters. He thought they were loud and he hated how they talked. Kind of hard to argue with that. Oh well. To each their own. I loved Anora enough to see it twice within a three-day period!
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