ANORA  (in theatres)

Director Sean Baker (“The Florida Project”) won this year’s Palme d’or at the Cannes Film Festival; it is nothing short of riveting and actor Mikey Madison (Russian-American) as the quintessential sex worker is astounding. Commencing with synchronized, grinding, pulverizing sexuality she takes prisoner her clients and requites their every fantasy, control, her ultimate asset. That control is tested when she meets Russian playboy “Zakharov, Ivan” (Mark Eydelstein) a silly, pompous, decadently spoiled, desperately handsome nincompoop. Marrying in Las Vegas, they prance, party, spend at lavish levels (his family’s sordid wealth) with no accountability, until his parents appear and demand they divorce; hilarity takes over and raucous scenes of 90lb “Ani” besting 200lb bodyguards are uproariously rib-splitting. “Igor” (Yuriy Borisov) the gentle captor is instantly smitten with the feral Ani, and silently, sensitively seeks to tame her. With foul mouth vulgarities she coarsely, ungraciously rejects his fervor.

“Anora” (light, honor, grace), reminiscent of “Pretty Woman” but contemporary, realistic, voyeuristically focusing on the “male gaze”; desolation reverberates at its heart, with touches of glee pulsating at its soul.

FOUR STARS!!!!

Peneflix