Watched Anora last night. I thought it was very good, but it was almost entirely carried by the first third, where Annie and Vanya meet and get married.
The first third was great, middle third dragged on too long and didn’t pull off the “bumbling henchman dark comedy” vibe (think Fargo, or Lock Stock and Two Smokin’ Barrels, which does this best) for me. The final third was where we finally get to meet the parents and the relationship implodes (or rather, drowns silently). It turns out that the qualities that make Vanya the type of person to get married in Vegas on a whim are the same ones that cause him to ditch Annie on a whim.
Something I thought the movie got right: it portrayed Gen Z well and accurately. Most movies with young people these days end up feeling forced, but something about the dialogue and relationships and constant vaping felt real to me. It’s also possible I’m getting older and I’m out of touch now—young people only feel fake in movies to young people.
Gets a recommend from me.
Rating -2 to 2 scale
- Enjoyment: 1.2
- Quality: 1.3