"I think we would get along even if I didn't have all of this money.” Okay, I kind of wanted to see that movie. "Anora" so effectively sweeps the viewer up in this whirlwind romance in which money is no object, I was really anticipating the moment when the floor dropped out from beneath the characters: what would happen when these kids realize that they don't actually have enough between them to build a life together? What would it look like when the infatuation dwindled and reality set in? I was curious to see this relationship buckling under internal pressure; instead, one of our characters literally runs out of the movie for a lengthy stretch of time, and the bulk of the film is built around the external pressures exerting their influence on our newlyweds.

Here's the thing, though: I want to measure this film for what it is, not what I hoped it would be. In that respect, I have to call "Anora" one of the most entertaining films of 2024. I was unexpectedly reminded of Noah Baumbach's "Mistress America," the follow-up to "s Ha" that no one really talks about, in that both that film and "Anora" find themselves suddenly housebound for an extended digression into screwball comedy around their midpoint. "Anora" is a screwball comedy that is not particularly funny and feels somewhat burdened by a side character who plays as one of the most blatant director self-inserts in recent memory (I'm glad other reviewers are feeling the same way). That said, there's a reason this much made such a splash last year: Mikey Madison feels like a neutron bomb of charisma dropped on Hollywood right as the town's crop of up-and-coming stars was starting to seem a little safe and predictable. She arrests your attention with every frame and delivers some of the biggest and best profanity-laden outbursts since Adam Sandler in his heyday. (Is it too late to get a movie where she plays his daughter?)

I like that Sean Baker is comfortable ruffling feathers here—there's the un-PC things that come out of Anora's mouth, the unvarnished look at sex work and the toll it takes, and the script feels like it ultimately arrives at a place emphasizing the lead character's distinctly feminine vulnerability. The film looks and sounds fantastic too, with photography from Drew Daniels ("Waves," "It Comes at Night") and some choice needledrops, including the elder millennial banger "All the Things She Said." Even if I grew mildly frustrated that the longest stretch of the film entails following a group of bickering characters who don't like each other as they try to find someone who doesn't want to be found, I'm not sure that's what I'll about "Anora."

I think I'm more likely to the headrush. I'm a hair's breadth away from middle age and haven't felt anything like infatuation in years, but this film at its best moments—in its blur of colors and sounds, under the glittering lights of Vegas or the windswept attractions of Coney Island—made me that sensation. Sure, this is a love story that's not really about love—for Ani, you might say it's about gaining access to a privileged word and lifestyle she's only dreamt about, while for Ivan it might be as simple as having cute girl to party and hook up with (because that's what she's paid to do); but the film shows how easily a life of pleasure-seeking, instant gratification, and money money money can make all of that look and feel like so much more...at least until the party's over.