Why has this movie been nominated for Best Picture?
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Updated 2 months ago,February 25, 2025
I knew very little aboutAnorabefore seeing it…
I also knew that there was a funny scene involving a boner.
Anora (2024) / Neon
In some ways, I was right.
Seriously, how many drugs do critics consume before attending official screenings?
They talk about some of these movies like theyre going to cure cancer.
And thats after giving those movies 20 minute standing ovations.
Do you know what I would give a 20 minute standing ovation to?
The Hostile Government Takeover song.
It isnt really ha ha funny
Look,Anorais not bad, not remotely.
Its a good dramedy and it maintains an addictive manic energy throughout.
But its not a comedy and I wish critics would stop pretending that it is.
This movie does not elicit guffaws; it elicits chuckles.
Chaos erupts, distracting your eye.
You stare, transfixed.
But you do not laugh, not explosively.
In fact, the whole second half of this movie is an engrossing dramatic character study.
The final scene is just her crying.
Does that sound hilarious to you?
But weve seen this character before!
It actually says a lot about society that the trope is still alive and well.
Anyway, my point is thatAnoradoesnt feel revolutionary in its depiction of sex work on screen.
Mikey Madisons accent
Mikey Madison is great as Anora in this movie.
She sells every flaw and nuance of the character with ease, immediately making you root for her.
Even when shes being selfish, you want her to win.
But man, that accent is distracting.
Madisons Brooklyn accent is like anSNLparody of a Brooklyn accent.
Its probably the one element of the movie that feels like broad comedy.
Of course, thats an amazing choice and backstory, but it unfortunately didnt translate to the screen.
Basically, this was a Selena Gomez inEmilia Perezsituation.
The curse of dramedies
As I mentioned,Anorais a good dramedy.
But thats the thing about dramedies.
They rarely balance their genres to the point that either genre feels exceptionally potent.
But still, its tough to make a dramedy feel especially moving or especially hilarious.
This is the same problem that sapped Oscar contenderA Real Painof its potency as well.
Anyway, the bottom line is thatAnorais a good movie and deserves its nominations.
But will it change the face of movies forever?
Only the Hostile Government Takeover song can do that.
