ANORA

Brooklyn exotic dancer Ani (short for Anora, played by Mikey Madison) impulsively marries her wealthy client Ivan (Mark Eidelstein) in Las Vegas, thinking she has found her dream life. Sound familiar? Rest assured, this is where all similarities to 1990’s ‘Pretty Woman’ end. Things take a turn when Anora discovers Ivan is the son of a Russian oligarch. After Ivan’s mother finds out about their wedding, she insists it’s annulled and sets off for New York to make it happen. The oligarch’s henchmen are tasked with taking Anora and Ivan to the courthouse, but when Ivan runs away to avoid responsibility, a race against time begins to locate him. The frequent humour amid the chaos is perfectly placed and the acting is superb. The character of Anora is a stand out with her fearless grit and empowered attitude. She’s a woman in control and is not one to be messed with. Writer / director Sean Baker is known for his views on decriminalising and destigmatising s*x work and many of his films are about the lives of marginalised subjects. Awarded the ‘Palme d’Or’ at Cannes this year, my only gripe is the long run time which would’ve benefited from a tighter edit.