I’d be completely and utterly remiss if I didn’t kick off this post by saying that the advertising team over at Neon does not fuck around. I don’t know if it was just me, but I was hit hard with targeted ads for this film, and clearly, they worked. Going in, I had only the faintest idea of what to expect beyond knowing this was supposed to be a fast-paced, wild ride—which triggered my lizard brain when I opened my AMC app to decide what the hell I wanted to watch this week.
And Anora definitely delivers on that promise, something I realized the second I opened RunPee to see how many times I could escape to empty my child-size bladder during the movie. (Spoiler: there are three pee times, and two of them pretty much guarantee you’ll miss something important. Plan beers accordingly.) The movie is essentially a whirlwind adventure of what happens when an exorbitantly wealthy, shithead 20-something convinces an exotic dancer to marry him. With a setup like that, Anora is exactly what you’d expect from the trailers. No huge surprises, no big twists you won’t see coming—but damn if it doesn’t keep you entertained along the way.
The film is brimming with all the eye candy and sexual tension you’d expect from this kind of premise. Sure, it’s entertaining, but I couldn’t help feeling that some of the over-the-top energy could’ve been reined in a bit to better emphasize the stakes at play. (And no, I’m not a fucking prude—I just think there’s a big difference between a well-placed sex scene that advances the story and throwing boobs on-screen for no reason other than “because we can.”) That said, one of my favorite things about the movie is its visual style. It’s shot and colored in a way that feels both vintage and modern, indie but without the low-budget look. It’s visually distinct and totally works for the vibe they’re going for. What did thrown me off? The comedy label slapped on this film. Sure, there are some genuinely funny moments, but I’d have tagged it more as drama/action. Then again, I’m not the one getting paid to categorize this shit—so what do I know?
Am I glad I gave into the marketing hype and saw it? Absolutely. Do you need to drop everything and rush to the theater to see it? Nah. But if you’ve got a free afternoon, enjoy being entertained, and liked movies like Zola (2020) (Which deserves a better rating than this IMHO IMDB you are wrong), it’s totally worth your time.
Click here to get tickets to see Anora on the official site.
It’s just a phase…