Anora is magic in two parts
Anora is the latest entry in Scott Baker's anthology of films about sex work but it also enters the canon of "bifurcated films" or as I clumsily refer to them "first half / second half movies". This type of movie can be split into two distinct halves either by way of a time skip, major location change, or a noticeable shift in tone. Anora belongs to that last category as it makes the jump from a fast-moving montage of a whirlwind love story to a set of drawn-out scenes that are intense and noisy. The most impressive part is that is always manages to be hilarious.
The first half of Anora is defined by its central love story. Ani goes from being the only exotic dancer at HQ who can speak Russian to marrying Ivan, the son of an oligarch, in the span of 10 days. While this only takes up about the first 45 minutes of the run time (I assume) no detail is spared.Awkward but endearing flirtation evolves into a Vegas chapel marriage. Sean Baker is constantly slapping the viewer with glamorous images and R-rated debauchery to the point of sensory overload. Scenes are short. Love is blooming. The fun will never end....
At the onset of the second half, Baker makes one of the most powerful decisions possible. Instead of continuing the barrage of fast-paced scenes that are generally under a minute he starts with an extra long drawn-out scene that takes place mostly in one location. As we are introduced to the expanded cast of Russian and Armenian muscle, the film starts to take its time. Ani's image of Ivan and the lifestyle she was expecting slowly start to unravel until she finally realizes that he is childish and cruel.
The backbone of Anora is a star-making central performance by Mikey Madison. She lights up the screen immediately. There is a real care put into her depiction of a sex worker. She is very professional with her clients and is beloved by (almost) all of her coworkers at HQ. Her micro-performance during all of the flirtation scenes is where she consistently impresses. Madison brings this roller coaster of a relationship to life by being exceedingly charming and even a little gullible.
That's not to say the other performances aren't important. Mark Eydelshteyn is hilarious as Ivan. He is just charming enough to win Ani (and the crowd) over while also being incredibly immature in every situation. Yura Borisov gives an understated performance as the Russian goon Igor who is charged with handling Ani as best he can. He is able to take up space in large empty wide shots and deliver gentle humor. Sean Baker company player Karren Karagulian is also really fun as Ivan's handler Toros. It's nice that even as Baker's productions get bigger and more eyes are on him, he never loses sight of the people that got him here. Karagulian is the vehicle that drives the second half of the movie. His initiative to erase the film's love story in hopes of making recompense for his own mistakes allows him to display his full range. It is especially funny when he starts haranguing a group of teenagers for being unhelpful.
Anora's first half draws you in the same way an exotic dancer might. It is sexy, fast, and makes you forget about the world around you. That lap dance comes to an end just like all others: you have to pay. The person you were has to wake up and face the next day just like everyone else. The ending is essentially a moving conversation piece. Ani finally receives kindness from one of her captors but can't get past the transactional nature that she sees the world. When she realizes how messed up that is, all she can do is let it out as we hear the squeak of 20 year old windshield wipers in the bitter cold.