Anora

Anora is a raw and unfiltered view into the hedonistic world of power, sex, and money, but more so a dive into the meaning of love and affection. It’s clear that Ani is so starved for love, and so confused with what it even means to be loved, that in the moment she thought she had it she feels truly happy. Only until the final moments of the film do we realize this— throughout we get the sense that she wants to be a part of this important and rich family, but only until the end is it clear that she has been cheated of real love. This story is nuanced— there are so many moments of joy and humor that wonderfully contrast the sadness and anger. One thing I found particularly interesting is that this work, unlike most, doesn’t rely on its sound design at all to control the emotional narrative. The performances take center stage, effectively conveying profound and significant emotion without the need of audial cues that most films depend on. Most of the sound design is diegetic, whether it be loud and exuberant music in the club or simple ambient noise from the city. The idea that these immense emotions can be portrayed with such subtle assistance is such a testament of the writer’s abilities, but more a testament to Mikey Madison’s abilities as an actress. Her performance was wonderfully executed and I am very pleased with this film altogether.