Lomax343

Shelly (Pamela Anderson) is a dancer in the tackiest show in the tackiest city on Earth. The sort of show where the costumes consist of rhinestones, feathers and not much else. The sort of show that's an inch away from being outright voyeurism. The sort of show that ought to have been ditched a couple of decades ago.

Shelly's been in the show for more than thirty-five years (when finally pressed, Anderson states her actual age - 57). It's all she knows. And she loves it - or she thinks she does.

Then comes word that the show's going to close, and Shelly has to confront her life, the choices she's made, and the consequences of both.

It may be the role Anderson's been waiting for her whole career, and it's a bravura performance. She goes from certainty to watching her life fall apart; from knowing who she is to being confronted with some painful questions about her life.

Anderson gets excellent support from Dave Bautista and Jamie Lee Curtis, and the whole comes across as an elegy for times that were - well, were they more innocent or less innocent? Let the viewer decide.

This is a Polish-made film set in war-torn Ukraine. It's not so much about the war, but about its effect on those caught up in it. It's not an easy watch. It's harrowing, visceral, uncompromising and downright brutal.

It takes the form of a number of inter-connected stories of men, women and children - some of whom have lost any semblance of humanity, some of whom have lost their last shred of hope, some of whom commit ghastly acts of betrayal in order to survive.

The film doesn't take sides. When you see a man with a gun it's not always clear whether he's Russian or Ukrainian - and to the non-combattants caught in the crossfire there's often little to choose between the two. There's rape, there's casual murder, there's indifference to suffering on a hideous scale. And it's happening today in Ukraine, in Gaza, in I don't know how many places round the world. And it could happen in your home town tomorrow.

I've seen this film described as uplifting. It isn't. There are some characters who do their best, but their efforts are swamped by the sheer scale of events.

I urge as many people as possible to see this film. You won't be entertained. Instead you will emerge - to borrow from Coleridge - sadder and wiser for the experience.

Ivan (Mark Eidelshtein) is the spoilt son of a Russian oligarch living in New York. He has the run of a huge mansion, seemingly unlimited supplies of cash, people to clean up after him - and no moral centre. Unsurprisingly he leads the sort of hedonistic life that would make Johnny Manziel look like a choirboy. Visiting a sex club, he takes a shine to Anora - or Ani - (Mikey Madison). She describes herself as an exotic dancer and is quite upset when people refer to her as a prostitute (or less flattering words to the same effect) even though she's quite happy to have some quite vigorous sex for money. This film is not for prudes.

Ivan offers Ani $15,000 to be his girlfriend for a week, during the course of which they fly to Las Vegas - and get married. The way you do, apparently.

Word reaches Ivan's parents, who are none too pleased. Three minders in their employ (Karen Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan and Yura Borisov, all of whom are excellent) descend on the mansion to try and sort things out. Not necessarily diplomatically.

The middle section of the film is by far the best. The extended scene in the mansion, and the chase around the city in search of Ivan, who's gone on the run, contains some fine black comedy and several laugh-out-loud moments.

In the final act, Ivan's parents (Darya Ekamasova and Aleksey Zakharov, both good) fly in. I felt that the script became a little uncertain at this point as the writers couldn't decide whether to go full Pretty Woman or opt for something darker. I found the compromise (if that's what it was) slightly disappointing.

The last scene was rather strange - but perhaps in keeping with the character arcs.

A wild ride; and mostly a fun one.