Anora: A Frustratingly Hollow Darling
Anora is a movie that’s received heaps of praise, but honestly, I just don’t get it. Outside of Mikey Madison’s magnetic performance, it’s hard to see what makes this film so acclaimed. Madison is absolutely the highlight here—she brings depth, vulnerability, and charisma to a role that otherwise would have been completely lost in the movie’s sluggish pacing and thin storytelling. Her performance almost makes the experience worth it. Almost. The plot itself feels paper-thin and stretched well beyond its natural limits, turning what could’ve been a sharp and snappy character piece into a meandering, overly long experience. The first half, in particular, drags terribly. Scenes feel like filler, existing more to pad the runtime than to actually serve the story or develop the characters. I kept waiting for something—anything—to really hook me, but the momentum just never comes together in a satisfying way. Worse still, the characters around Anora feel more like sketches than fully realized people. Most of them are exaggerated archetypes, and while that kind of approach can work in a more stylized or satirical film, here it just makes everything feel forced and inauthentic. Some of the humor hits its mark, but a lot of it feels strained and out of place, like it's desperately trying to inject levity into a story that hasn't earned it emotionally. Instead of enhancing the narrative, the humor often undercuts the stakes, making it even harder to invest in what’s happening. The second half of the movie does pick up somewhat. There's more tension, and the stakes start to rise in ways that at least create a mild sense of urgency. Madison shines even brighter in these moments, grounding the movie with her raw performance. But even then, the payoff isn’t nearly enough to redeem what feels like an overhyped, underwhelming film overall. I’ve seen indie films with a fraction of the budget and hype that executed this type of story with far more nuance, energy, and emotional resonance. Anora isn’t the worst movie of the year by any means—it has its moments, and Madison alone keeps it from being a total loss. But calling it one of the best films of the year feels like a massive reach. For me, it’s a disappointment that didn’t come close to living up to its reputation.
MOVIE REVIEW
RATING: 5/10
5/8/20241 min read
Anora is a movie that’s received heaps of praise, but honestly, I just don’t get it. Outside of Mikey Madison’s magnetic performance, it’s hard to see what makes this film so acclaimed. Madison is the highlight here—she brings depth, vulnerability, and charisma to a role that otherwise would have been completely lost in the movie’s sluggish pacing and thin storytelling. Her performance almost makes the experience worth it. Almost.
The plot itself feels paper-thin and stretched well beyond its natural limits, turning what could’ve been a sharp and snappy character piece into a meandering, overly long experience. The first half, in particular, drags terribly. Scenes feel like filler, existing more to pad the runtime than to actually serve the story or develop the characters. I kept waiting for something—anything—to hook me, but the momentum just never comes together in a satisfying way.
Worse still, the characters around Anora feel more like sketches than fully realized people. Most of them are exaggerated archetypes, and while that kind of approach can work in a more stylized or satirical film, here it just makes everything feel forced and inauthentic. Some of the humor hits its mark, but a lot of it feels strained and out of place, like it's desperately trying to inject levity into a story that hasn't earned it emotionally. Instead of enhancing the narrative, the humor often undercuts the stakes, making it even harder to invest in what’s happening.
The second half of the movie does pick up somewhat. There's more tension, and the stakes start to rise in ways that at least create a mild sense of urgency. Madison shines even brighter in these moments, grounding the movie with her raw performance. But even then, the payoff isn’t nearly enough to redeem what feels like an overhyped, underwhelming film overall.
I’ve seen indie films with a fraction of the budget and hype that executed this type of story with far more nuance, energy, and emotional resonance. Anora isn’t the worst movie of the year by any means—it has its moments, and Madison alone keeps it from being a total loss. But calling it one of the best films of the year feels like a massive reach. For me, it’s a disappointment that didn’t come close to living up to its reputation.