“Anora” is often described as “A Modern-Day Pretty Woman.” And yes, there’s the “sex-worker-meets-rich-guy” commonality. But dive deeper into that trope and you won’t find an update but a demolition.
Susan, I also liked Anora very much. My favorite scenes were the manic ones where Anora and the Russians are trying to find Ivan. Everyone's shouting and cursing over each other and it just feels so real. I think those types of scenes are really hard to get right, the degree of difficulty is very high. But this movie pulled it off.
P.S. Fun Fact: Mikey Madison learned to pole dance and how to cop the attitude and speech patterns of a sex worker from Luna Miranda Sofia, who co-stars as her best friend in the film, and who is also my future daughter-in-law!
Wow, that is one hell of a fun fact—not her learning pole dancing and etc., which I knew and planned to talk about in my Oscar stack—but the fact that she learned from your future daughter-in-law. (Who was great in the movie, by the way; I’ve seen it several times so I noticed.) Has she/will she teach you?
I hadn’t thought of this as a screwball comedy precisely because of the ending which I won’t reveal. Thank you for that observation because I agree that the film deconstructs traditional Rom Com. However, (the frantic comedic middle notwithstanding), the final image of the film seems to subvert screwball as well as it transitions into a serious moment, realization, and release. I walked out of the theatre blown away because it felt like a film made in the 1970s, that magnificent era of cinema which allowed scenes to slow down, allowed audiences to grapple with ambiguity, and left us with a multi-faceted examination of character and critique of society. For me, the movie felt like a masterful baseball game which rounds the first base of Sean Baker’s compassionate realism, then hits the 2nd base of slapstick, passes third base’s move toward tragedy, and then slides gloriously home into the tender gravitas that so many ‘70s film depict.
I’m delighted to be quoted! You’ll laugh at this: I wrote “subvert” screwball endings because I think I had just use the word deconstruct and I didn’t want to be repetitive. That’s the poet in me, not the scholar. You were precisely right— it does deconstruct. Lol. And we must discuss Pretty Woman. I hated it (still do), and was studying with Jane Gallop at Rice at the time. She loved it and suddenly I felt like the entire floor of feminist critique had dropped from beneath me feet. Et tu, Jane Gallop?
What a lovely and astute commentary. The “masterful baseball game” analogy is wonderful. And I agree, I agree!! One of the reasons I’ve separated the ending for a separate stack is because it does indeed deconstruct (or, as you put it, subvert) the typical screwball ending. So I wanted my own discussion to “subvert” what I wrote in this stack, too. For that, I first had to set up the ways in which it differs—in the screwball modes of having the heroine be a feisty fighter and blasting away the happily-ever-after promise of love and marriage—from the Rom Com. After that, my own “ending” needed to shift into a different mode, too—and so did I! Also, I really didn’t want to be a spoiler, or to pre-empt viewers’ responses, which—As MIkey Madison points out (I’ll quote her in my next stack)—differ from viewer to viewer, perhaps especially along the lines of gender. I’m so eager to write about it, though!! But now, I can quote you, too (with your permission, of course)—those last two lines of yours are too perfect to not share!
I loved "Anora" and your take on it. Looking forward to part 2. (The ending reminded me of another ambiguous movie ending from a previous decade and I'm wondering if it did for you, too.)
Just read it, and brava! You did it justice. The ambiguous ending reminded me of "Saturday Night Fever." (Like Julie Steward, I thought it felt like a '70s-style film.) To me, it said: Whether or not these two characters go on to have a romantic partnership, they are better off for having known each other and being able to experience true human connection. Which is such a great message that I'm feeling inspired to write my own piece on it!
I see the “Saturday Night Fever” comparison now! It wouldn’t have occurred to me but once you said it, it made total sense. And what a terrific movie that was. I actually spend some time talking about it in my book “The Male Body.” As one of the first films to freely eroticize—for a heterosexual audience—the male body.
Oooh, thank you for sharing! The cover of your book looks familiar. I feel like I might have come across it when I was in grad school in 2000, writing my thesis on body image in the media!
Susan, this is the first time we see a movie differently (bound to happen!) The only scene I liked in the movie was the very last one, which I won’t spoil before you write again. I also couldn’t watch The Substance-I lasted 30 minutes.
I hated “The Substance.” As to “Anora,” my very beloved sister @Binnie Klein didn’t like it either. This seems to be one of those movies that people I love don’t always love!
it’s funny how sometimes sister @Susan Bordo and I can be completely in sync in our tastes, and then….every so often…it’s like….”wait, what????? You liked that? Who ARE you?” But I’m always happy to read her critiques because they are so damn intelligent.
I’ll be REALLY interested to hear what you think, Ramona. Several people that I usually am on the same page with didn’t like it. One even hated it!
The part that I haven’t yet talked about is amazing, and worth the Oscar all by itself. But of course it wouldn’t have had the emotional impact it does without what precedes it. I really wanted to write about it, but in the case of this movie I especially didn’t want to be a spoiler.
Susan, just saw the film last night and completely agree with you on every point, not a shade of difference, though overall, I don't regard the film quite as highly. I'm very interested to read how you read the ending.
Susan, I also liked Anora very much. My favorite scenes were the manic ones where Anora and the Russians are trying to find Ivan. Everyone's shouting and cursing over each other and it just feels so real. I think those types of scenes are really hard to get right, the degree of difficulty is very high. But this movie pulled it off.
P.S. Fun Fact: Mikey Madison learned to pole dance and how to cop the attitude and speech patterns of a sex worker from Luna Miranda Sofia, who co-stars as her best friend in the film, and who is also my future daughter-in-law!
Wow, that is one hell of a fun fact—not her learning pole dancing and etc., which I knew and planned to talk about in my Oscar stack—but the fact that she learned from your future daughter-in-law. (Who was great in the movie, by the way; I’ve seen it several times so I noticed.) Has she/will she teach you?
Ha! I’d love to learn. I know for sure though that my back is too old to do half of what she can do.
I hadn’t thought of this as a screwball comedy precisely because of the ending which I won’t reveal. Thank you for that observation because I agree that the film deconstructs traditional Rom Com. However, (the frantic comedic middle notwithstanding), the final image of the film seems to subvert screwball as well as it transitions into a serious moment, realization, and release. I walked out of the theatre blown away because it felt like a film made in the 1970s, that magnificent era of cinema which allowed scenes to slow down, allowed audiences to grapple with ambiguity, and left us with a multi-faceted examination of character and critique of society. For me, the movie felt like a masterful baseball game which rounds the first base of Sean Baker’s compassionate realism, then hits the 2nd base of slapstick, passes third base’s move toward tragedy, and then slides gloriously home into the tender gravitas that so many ‘70s film depict.
I’m delighted to be quoted! You’ll laugh at this: I wrote “subvert” screwball endings because I think I had just use the word deconstruct and I didn’t want to be repetitive. That’s the poet in me, not the scholar. You were precisely right— it does deconstruct. Lol. And we must discuss Pretty Woman. I hated it (still do), and was studying with Jane Gallop at Rice at the time. She loved it and suddenly I felt like the entire floor of feminist critique had dropped from beneath me feet. Et tu, Jane Gallop?
I feel great affinity between us, Julie!! Glad to have discovered you here.
Back atcha!
What a lovely and astute commentary. The “masterful baseball game” analogy is wonderful. And I agree, I agree!! One of the reasons I’ve separated the ending for a separate stack is because it does indeed deconstruct (or, as you put it, subvert) the typical screwball ending. So I wanted my own discussion to “subvert” what I wrote in this stack, too. For that, I first had to set up the ways in which it differs—in the screwball modes of having the heroine be a feisty fighter and blasting away the happily-ever-after promise of love and marriage—from the Rom Com. After that, my own “ending” needed to shift into a different mode, too—and so did I! Also, I really didn’t want to be a spoiler, or to pre-empt viewers’ responses, which—As MIkey Madison points out (I’ll quote her in my next stack)—differ from viewer to viewer, perhaps especially along the lines of gender. I’m so eager to write about it, though!! But now, I can quote you, too (with your permission, of course)—those last two lines of yours are too perfect to not share!
I loved "Anora" and your take on it. Looking forward to part 2. (The ending reminded me of another ambiguous movie ending from a previous decade and I'm wondering if it did for you, too.)
Hmmm. What movie are you thinking of? (Part 2 is out now, btw. Hope you like what I’ve done with the ending!)
Just read it, and brava! You did it justice. The ambiguous ending reminded me of "Saturday Night Fever." (Like Julie Steward, I thought it felt like a '70s-style film.) To me, it said: Whether or not these two characters go on to have a romantic partnership, they are better off for having known each other and being able to experience true human connection. Which is such a great message that I'm feeling inspired to write my own piece on it!
I see the “Saturday Night Fever” comparison now! It wouldn’t have occurred to me but once you said it, it made total sense. And what a terrific movie that was. I actually spend some time talking about it in my book “The Male Body.” As one of the first films to freely eroticize—for a heterosexual audience—the male body.
Oooh, thank you for sharing! The cover of your book looks familiar. I feel like I might have come across it when I was in grad school in 2000, writing my thesis on body image in the media!
Also, if it’s OK to drop links here, I just posted my thoughts on “Anora”: https://jabrown.substack.com/p/what-is-love-intimacy-and-connection?r=2rskh
Very good and astute article.
Thank you! Stay tuned for more in next stack!
Will do so!
Susan, this is the first time we see a movie differently (bound to happen!) The only scene I liked in the movie was the very last one, which I won’t spoil before you write again. I also couldn’t watch The Substance-I lasted 30 minutes.
I hated “The Substance.” As to “Anora,” my very beloved sister @Binnie Klein didn’t like it either. This seems to be one of those movies that people I love don’t always love!
it’s funny how sometimes sister @Susan Bordo and I can be completely in sync in our tastes, and then….every so often…it’s like….”wait, what????? You liked that? Who ARE you?” But I’m always happy to read her critiques because they are so damn intelligent.
Thank you dahlink.
But who ARE you and what did you do with my sister @Binnie Klein ?
I haven't seen it yet. I didn't think I'd want to, but I think you've convinced me I do!
I’ll be REALLY interested to hear what you think, Ramona. Several people that I usually am on the same page with didn’t like it. One even hated it!
The part that I haven’t yet talked about is amazing, and worth the Oscar all by itself. But of course it wouldn’t have had the emotional impact it does without what precedes it. I really wanted to write about it, but in the case of this movie I especially didn’t want to be a spoiler.
Love your movie/TV posts!
Thank you!
Susan, just saw the film last night and completely agree with you on every point, not a shade of difference, though overall, I don't regard the film quite as highly. I'm very interested to read how you read the ending.