Anora: Sexually-Explicit Comedy/Drama

"Anora"  has AA nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role.  Sean Baker is the Writer/Director, and he's created quite a buzz with this film.  Although I agree with the acting and director nominations, the film (primarily the last hour) was too long (totaling 2 hours & 20 minutes).  Even though many scenes were intense and compelling – as well as funny – due to the extended length of the movie, I did not think the film deserved either Best Picture or Best Screenplay nominations.  Essentially, I didn't like the film as much as the critics, but the excellent acting and many well-written scenes still  make it worth the trip to the theater. Anora (a.k.a. Ani – a wonderful Mikey Madison) is a sex worker.  She works primarily as an erotic dancer at an upscale club, but sometimes she works as an escort.  Although not beautiful, she has a great figure and knows how to turn men on.  Ani is scraping by financially and this is apparently her best way to make a living.  We know nothing about her background or why she became a sex worker. The film starts off as an updated "Pretty Woman."  One night at the club, Ani meets Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), who is the son of a billionaire Russian Oligarch.  The club owner selects Ani to approach him because she understands Russian, since her grandmother spoke Russian.  They hit it off and Ivan invites her to spend the following day at his huge mansion in Far Rockaway (Brooklyn, NYC).  They have a fabulous time, filled with lots of sex.  Ivan is really "into" her and then hires Ani to be an exclusive escort for a week for $15,000.  Unfortunately, after the anticipated sex-filled week, Ivan needs to return to Russia.  Near the end of the week, Ivan takes Ani to Las Vegas where he impulsively proposes to her.  He thinks their marriage will make him an American citizen and then his parents won't be able to force him to return to Russia.  She accepts, he soon buys her a very expensive engagement ring, and they run off to a chapel and get married.  Has Ani hit the jackpot?  What could possibly go wrong? I won't say any more about the plot.  Although often funny, the film also has a nearly-constant undercurrent of sadness and tragedy, a remarkable feat in a screenplay, despite its length.  The last half of the film has many chaotic scenes which are drawn out unnecessarily.  The movie has enough going for it to make my Top 10, but not my Top 5.  I'd blame the editor (also Sean Baker) because, at 1 hour & 50 minutes, it would have been a Top 3 movie.