INVENTING ANNA: Fake It Till You Make It

“Fake it till you make it” – a phrase we have heard all too often. To hit the pavement running, and figure out the rest along the way. To push through barriers by convincing others into believing you can do it, confidence is the only credential to success. A quote of inspiration, in Shonda Rhimes‘ Inventing Anna it becomes not only a faltered concept but a criticized movement of progression.

Inventing Anna stumbles in its first couple of episodes, but as Anna’s story accelerates, so too does the series. And before you know it, you have reached its final moments. A binge-worthy venture, Inventing Anna will not only leave you contemplating the decisions and wildly insane explorations of a young 25-year-old, but have you looking deeper at a system designed for only a select few to succeed in. In the end, viewers will linger on the question of who really pulls the strings.

Inventing the Narrative

Inventing Anna opens with the indictment of Anna Sorokin, aka Ana Delvy (Julia Garner, Ozark), her voiceover drawing viewers into her story before transitioning through a handful of individuals who each had a part to play. As we land on Vivian Kent (Anna Clumsky, My Girl and Veep), based on the real-life reporter Jessica Pressler, there is a fire that immediately radiates from her, laced with sorrow and regret, viewers coming to understand quickly that like Anna, Vivian to has her own mysteries. As she begins to push for what she thinks could be a breaking story for the magazine, her fierce fight lends itself to an extreme need for redemption and success. As we learn, Vivian is not only a fighter, she is a fighter that does not like to lose.

Though getting Anna to agree to an exclusive interview is easier said than done. Without initial support from the magazine, Vivian makes contact with Anna, who is spending her time before trial behind bars at Rikers Island. While there is a push and pull for dominance in the conversation, each wanting what the other can deliver, they finally settle on a deal that proves lucrative for them both. And while the present moments draw a wishy-washy intensity between the women, once Anna’s story begins, both the past and present prove a story’s intensity transcends time.

Inventing a Foundation

Inventing Anna is an engaging and mesmerizing story of exploration, desperation, psychology, and redemption. Yet, before it reaches it maximum potential, Inventing Anna struggles, its first episode “Life of a VIP” fighting to maintain its audiences’ attention, especially in the first few meet-ups between Anna and Vivian. There is no connection immediately crafted, even if you already know the story. Episode two, “The Devil Wore Anna”, grapples with reconciling Rhimes‘ previous works, the series attempting to regain the feeling and vibe of Grey’s Anatomy, but struggling under the weight of the truth in its subject matter. Where her previous works are fiction, Inventing Anna is based on a somewhat true story.

Thankfully episode three finds its feet as it truly dives into the Anna Dulvey story. Where “The Devil Wore Anna” does succeed at harnessing our attention, episode three, “Two Birds, One Throne”, solidifies it into a permanent fixation. Good luck trying not to finish the series in one sitting after this point. There is an intensity with each episode that builds, viewers finding themselves on edge to find out at any moment whether the Anna Delvy story was true or a lie. And while each episode begins with its opening slogan “This whole story is completely true, except for the parts that are totally made up”, the push and pull between fact and fiction never ceases.

The structure of Inventing Anna continues this intensification. While the series maintains many of the same characters throughout, each episode is personified by the person who holds a portion of Anna’s story for that moment. With each episode, there is the anticipation of a nail in the coffin or an epic reveal of innocence. And while always through their perspective, it shines a light on the truth even if there is a questionability on what is truth and what is not. As the series says, for every three rumors about Anna, one turns out to be true.

And with this episodic structure, Inventing Anna takes viewers on a roller coaster ride in the best way possible. Each character has their climatic moment, some more intense than others. Each of their stories is not culminating to a final finish, but to each of their unique involvement within Anna’s story and their own. And while not wildly unique, it elevates the unity of the series and of Anna’s story, giving room for a vast array of supporting characters to move in, out, and around the entirety of the show.

And if there is something Inventing Anna can boast, it is its cast. While there are return collaborations in Jeff Perry and Kate Burton, it is the powerhouse of female performances that makes this stand out at a Rhimes‘ creation. And while some may shine brighter than others, this is an ensemble piece, each member of the cast working as a unit.

Julia Garner stands out immediately, and while her weird accent is something to adjust to, there is a conniving brilliance to her performance, allowing the muscles in her face and the flick of her hair to speak volumes. Her eyes are a portal to the soul and truth behind Anna, and Garner is not afraid to play with every element possible to elevate her performance. Anna Clumsky brings to life Vivian West with poise and determination, capturing her drive, ambition, and path of self-redemption not only in person but through every conversation she has. There is an active listening captured in her performance that speaks to not only her character’s profession but to Clumsky‘s deep ability to connect with those she shares the screen with, driving the engagement for the audience. Her character sees the biggest growth and climax within the entirety of the series, “Cash on Delivery” a standout, and she gives her character room to grow.

One of the best elements of a Shondaland production is the music that accompanies the series, Bridgerton and Grey’s Anatomy prime examples. Shazam at the ready, every episode of Inventing Anna boasts music you will need by episode’s, nay scene’s end. The soundtrack for Inventing Anna heightens everything, giving a final gloss over the high-class lifestyle and effervescent nature of Anna – and the world she sees around her. The soundtrack also succeeds in keeping the pace of each episode, with a combination of high-paced editing and occasional slow motion, there is an intensity within the craft behind the camera alone.

Is the question whether she lied or why?

Shonda Rhimes, much like character Vivian Kent and real-life reporter Jessica Pressler, sees the story in Anna Delvy, the story of money and the capitalistic culture. The understanding is that the only way to make it is to fake it. As viewers watch Anna’s story coming to life, both in disgust and amazement, there is a deeper understanding of the truly compromised system. Not just by a 25-year-old, but rather by those who wield the power to say whether you are in or if you are out. Where one introduction can open a world, one faulty seam line can end your pitch before you have even opened your mouth.

Rhimes is synonymous with strong female characters, her work giving them a platform to shine and inspire. It is easy to see how she was drawn to Anna’s story, like so many, seeing the drive and determination, but also the desperation to make it in a world still driven by a boy’s club mentality and an extreme elitist view of who should be allowed to succeed. When you look at the bigger picture, what other route is there to reach the top? And is what Anna did different than what those at the top do to stay there?

Conclusion

While suffering from a brief rocky beginning, Inventing Anna builds itself upon the foundation of a muddled reality, where even when you know you are looking at the truth, you find ourself questioning. Going full circle, each aspect of Anna and the characters that surround her is analyzed and laid out for viewers to understand – and even come to their own conclusions.

A Binge-worthy series you will find once it has you, you too will be under Anna’s spell.

Have you seen Inventing Anna? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Inventing Anna will premier on Netflix on Friday, February 11, 2022!

Watch Inventing Anna