anora (2024)
Director, editor & writer: Sean Baker
Producers: Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, & Sean Baker
Genre: Black Comedy-Drama
length: 2h 19m
Budget: 6 million USD
Box office: $41.3 million
release date: May 21, 2024
watched: March 4, 2025
Did you watch the Oscars recently? If you didn’t, it’s still likely that you’ve heard of "Anora"—the film that garnered five of its six Academy Award nominations. It ultimately took home the highest honors, including Best Picture, Best Director (Sean Baker), Best Editing (Sean Baker), and Best Original Screenplay (Sean Baker). Mikey Madison also received acclaim for her breakthrough role, winning Best Actress. Since its premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, "Anora" has received widespread critical acclaim, and even took home the Palme d'Or. The public's response to "Anora's" sweep has been overwhelmingly positive, with particular appreciation for its social realism and dynamic storytelling.
On the other hand, there are debates whether or not “Anora” deserved its wins. While many praise “Anora” for its emotional impact and genre-bending style, many are dumbfounded by the film's five Oscar wins. There’s also a ton of disagreement about Mikey Madison winning over Demi Moore in the best actress category. Though I agree that “The Substance” was a more powerful contender in most of the categories, it was a close fight. Every detail of that film is so grotesque and extreme that it forces us women to confront the nastiest parts of ourselves. But that’s another topic that I talk about in another essay. For now, let’s discuss why “anora” stands out as one of the best indie films of the 2020’s.
"Anora" tells the story of an exotic dancer who enters a whirlwind romance with Vanya, the son of a Russian oligarch. After accepting $15,000 to spend a week with him, they impulsively marry in Las Vegas. Anora leaves her job at the strip club and moves into Vanya's parents' mansion. Outraged and embarrassed, Vanya’s parents dispatch their henchmen to New York to annul the marriage, setting off a series of events that leave Anora high and dry.
This film is not without controversy. When your heroine is a sex worker, your movie is going to stir the pot for groups and individuals who disagree. Andrew Klavan from the Daily Wire describes "Anora" in a video as a pornographic attempt to normalize prostitution by Hollywood leftists. Conservatives were also quick to criticize Baker and Madison for paying homage to the community in their acceptance speech, accusing them of glorifying an industry that perpetuates pimping, sex trafficking, and the dehumanization of women. For many of them, portrayal is the same as endorsement.
Conversely, Sean Baker is known to depict sex workers and fringe groups in his films to humanize them. In a Variety interview, he talks about the intentions behind his portrayals:
“I became friends with [sex workers] and realized there were a million stories from that world. If there is one intention with all of these films, I would say it’s by telling human stories, by telling stories that are hopefully universal,” he said. “It’s helping remove the stigma that’s been applied to this livelihood.”
By having the protagonist be a sex worker, "Anora" is inherently political. We see that sex workers don’t have insurance or a 401k. We see the unfair perceptions that people have about them, such as assuming that they have a criminal record. We see her powerlessness when Anora attempts to have legal representation for her annulment, only to be mocked for the idea. Unlike corporate franchises that use woke caricatures and buzzwords to appear inclusive, Anora is able to steer clear of clichés.
At the same time, The social commentary on sex workers doesn’t overpower the story itself. "Anora’s" storyline is thematically rich with many genre crossovers. At one moment, it’s a screwball comedy that blends "Project X" and "Pretty Woman." The next moment, it’s a melodrama gangster film involving three henchmen and two forbidden lovers. It’s funny, then it’s sad, then it’s comedic, then it’s serious. Though there has been criticism that "Anora" struggles to know what kind of movie it is, these tonal shifts kept me engaged.
"Anora" is realistic in several ways. First, it depicts sex work as a regular job, much like carpentry and waiting tables. Whether you’re for it or against it, this job has persisted through the ages (thus, “the oldest profession”). I disagree with the comment that this film represents a decay of our moral standards. Nevertheless, shedding light on a fringe group still needs to be handled with care; you don’t want to misrepresent them or condone heinous crimes like child prostitution. All this to say, Baker was graceful with how he handled the subject.
Second, much of the dialogue was natural and unpolished. When a couple of strange men turn up to your new husband’s house unnoticed, saying “what the fuck is going on?” repeatedly is more true to life than throwing out carefully crafted one-liners. Moreover, Baker encourages his actors to improvise and do alternate takes. In the scene where the characters walk into a grill in the middle of their search for Vanya, they improvised their lines with people who were actually eating there. Such a technique may be a nightmare for the editor, but Baker himself was the editor and was awarded for his stellar job.
Third, the protagonist was believable… with a few reservations. Madison lived and breathed the stripper life through Anora. She is an actress who, truly, commits to the bit, thoroughly gathering insights in her conversations with sex workers. She also nailed it with that Brooklyn accent. What makes her all the more alluring is the air of innocence and class she exudes. Mix that together with being a sex worker, and it’s almost guaranteed to draw viewers into the film. People are voyeuristic that way.
Nonetheless, the film has its loopholes. It’s hard to reconcile Anora’s street smarts and her naivety in falling for an immature rich kid. Granted, she’s only 23 years old. However, in the beginning of the film, Anora is seen to have a commanding presence and to be in control of her dynamic with clients. I got the impression that she had enough experience under her belt to remain emotionally detached from her customers. Perhaps if there was a more substantial courtship, or if Anora laid out more conditions before entering the marriage, it would’ve been more convincing.
Furthermore, I’m unsure if she’s an opportunist or a hopeless romantic. We lack a lot of context for Anora—a bit ironic for a self-titled film. Other than living in a decent apartment with a roommate who annoys her, we don’t know much about her beyond being a sex worker. Her motivations are also ambiguous; did she only marry Vanya for the money? Or did she want the happily ever after? Also, why is she a stripper? While Anora's ambiguity could have been a powerful tool for exploring complex motivations, the film falls short in providing the necessary context to fully understand her choices.
All things considered, her character is so damn relatable. Not everyone is a stripper, but many people know what it feels like to be fucked over by someone. What speaks to women, at least, is the feeling of being ‘chosen,’ only to be disposed of like an object later on by the same person. Vanya may not be likeable, but his type is ubiquitous: the spoiled man-child who lives in his parents’ mansion, recklessly spends, and throws frequent drug-fueled parties. Some will argue that this is stereotypical, but I’m sure many of us have come across at least one Vanya in our lives.
As for the rest of the cast, they were all superb. One of my favorite details was when Toros, Vanya’s godfather, ditches the baptism he’s facilitating after receiving a picture of the couple’s marriage certificate. Garnik throwing up in the middle of their search dispels the macho Russian henchman stereotype. Vanya’s mother is as cruel as Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada" when she threatens Anora with financial ruin. Vanya’s father hysterically laughing after Anora insults Vanya and his mom says so much without saying anything at all.
And we have Igor, the most complex character of all. You can’t quite put your finger on him. It’s obvious that he has a crush on Anora. But you can’t tell if he’s being nice or being a creep. When he subdues Anora for being combative, you wonder, does he take pleasure in holding her down? You’re also unsure if Igor bringing Anora’s scarf was weird or thoughtful. If you’re like me, you would’ve been a bit nervous when Igor was assigned to bring Anora back to New York.
If there’s a character we see from Anora’s perspective, it’s Igor. Like her, our guards are up with him the entire time. It’s only the final scene where we entertain the idea that he could actually be a good guy who’s not set out to rape her. Before they part, he returns her engagement ring as a goodwill gesture. It’s implied that he asks nothing in return when he proceeds to bring her luggage in front of her home. The last scene of her initiating sex with him, and breaking down in his arms when he attempts to kiss her, was the perfect catharsis for all her misfortunes. What a way to end a film.
Sean Baker is one of the few auteur filmmakers that still exist in Hollywood today. It’s rare for one person to write, edit, and direct a film. Above all, “Anora” didn’t need A-list celebrities or overly flashy editing to tell a captivating story. A $6 million budget is not a lot either, and yet the film had the creative resources to make "Anora" a compelling piece of work. Hollywood has its insufferable moments, but I do recognize their efforts in bringing more indie and arthouse cinema to the mainstream. I’ve gotten out of touch with the Oscars through the years, but this movie alone is convincing me to start tuning in again.
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