REVIEW: ANORA

4/5

What Happened In Vegas.

139 Mins. Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan & Aleksei Serebryakov. Screenplay: Sean Baker. Director: Sean Baker. In: Theatres.

For your consideration, the one Oscar winner you won't soon forget. Even though, like the Grammys, Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Weekend, motion picture's major event in February is soon as forlorn as those lost lovers whose Valentines never wrote back. This love story hurts like hell too. A new 'Pretty Woman' for our 'American Honey' age of 'Hustlers', feeling like the anxiety attack of the Safdie Brother's very own 'Uncut Gems' (some call it a 'Good Time'). This raw and ready, polished indie is a little rough around the edges, too. Giving sex workers the love they deserve and not the kind that goes below the belt. Thinking another dollar bill put there will erase all the pain caused by men who think women can be bought and discarded as quickly as the divorce courts that look more like a sham than the Las Vegas chapels that birthed all this risky business. Cue the Cruise-esque sock slide from the rich kid hiding behind those Ray Charles shades.

Mickey Madison, name alone, just sounds like a Hollywood star. She is. Yet she's much more than that. She's a Best Actress award winner for the Best Picture that beat out ("out" people...not off) more popes than Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. Make that two now. Once upon a time...in Hollywood, she made her name, like Margaret Qualley, in a Quentin Tarantino movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and half of Hollywood, like Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, and the late, great Luke Perry and Burt Reynolds. Making her mark as a Manson murderer in all black, like 'Elvis' to be, and win, Austin Butler (even the one that ran away was the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke and 'Stranger Things' star in her own right, Maya Hawke). Glass tables, dog bites and knife fights. All manner of things happened to her before she met her end by the flame throwing hands of DiCaprio by the pool. But this is Mickey Madison, the actress, like the SAG card and award show intro speech said.

With even more substance than the great Demi Moore, this amazing Academy actress shocked the world when she took home the goldest gleam a fortnight ago. An upset after Demi won more awards that practically had the envelope in her hands. Yet Madison was beyond happy as she confirmed herself as the next big star in town like Jennifer Lawrence and the 'Poor Thing' who handed the award, Emma Stone, before her. There's a new Mickey in the Tinseltown that Walt's mouse made famous, and hey, she's more than fine. Yes, this movie features more F bombs than...hey, we can't top that Conan joke, and there's so much sex here they needed a team of intimacy coordinators (let alone one), but this isn't the selling point on this bold, beautiful and brutal drama. Even though, Madison wows with a dance (how does she do that thing with her legs so effortlessly, gracefully AND sexily?) that could even top Zoe Saldaña's supporting sweep in 'Emilia Perez'. She's much more than that naked ambition and truth, The real acting and artistry comes later in dramatic strokes, all the way to the truly heartbreaking end that will stay with you. Just like the message needs to. A modern love metaphor that money can't buy, or time can't rush. Because look what happens when we "like" someone and dismiss them just as quickly with a swipe of the hand.

'Anora' in big, red, Neon neon letters (not to be confused with Star War's 'Andor', no matter how much you're looking forward to the forthcoming second season) is so much more, too. Winning director and screenplay Oscars for Sean Baker ('Four Letter Words') who also produced and edited this picture. This New York stripper meets Russian oligarch son also shows us the classic sides of the city, like Coney Island, amongst all the sleazy sides of Sin City across the coast. This 77th Cannes Film Festival favourite and Palme d'Or winner also features stars of the future across the board. Namely, Golden Eagle Award Winner ('AK-47') Yura Borisov, who deserves his Best Supporting Actor for his heartfelt, hilarious and haunted performance that would have stolen the show if it wasn't for Mickey Madison's moment. Mark Eydelshteyn is cutely charming. Whilst Karren Karagulian will do anything to get the job done. Especially when he has the fumbling Vache Tovmasyan and fierce Aleksei Serebryakov to deal with. And just wait until you meet mother Russia. This indecent proposal of a movie is a motherf####r. Enough to make Mickey 'Scream' like said movie that helped her get the gig. Inspired by everything from 'The Talking Of Pelham One Two Three' to 'The French Connection' (rest peacefully, Gene and your wonderful wife Betsy), this is another uncut New York gem. As real as it gets, nothing hits harder than this Hollywood divorce. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Pretty Woman', 'Uncut Gems', 'Hustlers'.