Writer/director Sean Baker has thoroughly established himself as the top independent filmmaker to look out for. His distinct style of seemingly capturing the lives of people from different classes in America shows off this prime authenticity that earned him a loyal following over the years. I haven’t seen his breakout Tangerine yet, but I liked 2017’s The Florida Project and 2021’s Red Rocket about the same. It was only a matter of time before I saw what everyone had been discussing regarding his latest project, Anora, when it expanded its release. Not only did it sound like a massive deal after Neon picked up distributed, but it became the first American film to win the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in over a decade. Did I know what to get out of this walking out? Who knows. But when you have perhaps Baker’s most accessible film with a star-making turn from the captivating Mikey Madison, Anora is something that has to be seen again before it’s too late.
What’s the Story: Anora (Madison), who prefers to go by Ani, works as a stripper in this upscale nightclub in Brighton Beach. Business is going as usual, with lap dances and private dances with customers, until her boss introduces Ani to 21-year-old high-roller Ivan “Vanya” Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, to help translate. They instantly hit it off, and he invites her to his parents’ luxurious mansion as part of her sex worker services. The connection between them is strong, and Ani spends the week with Ivan after offering her $15,000 to be his girlfriend. Swept up with their romance, she travels with his friends to Las Vegas, leading to them getting married while there. It’s all wonderful when she becomes his wife. That is until rumors of their marriage out of nowhere catch his parents’ attention. Ivan’s parents talk to his godfather, Toros (Karren Karagulian), and his two goons, Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) and Igor (Yura Borisov), to make them get an annulment, leading to Ivan escaping his home and Ani and them having to track him down.
Who knows what movies Baker was influenced by while he was writing because shades of Pretty Woman are present during the first half, and then it switches into an almost Uncut Gems mode afterward, which isn’t a bad thing to compliment. What we get here in Anora is shedding some light on a profession that usually sets dogged down. Yet we’re focusing on a three-dimensional character experiencing the woeful bliss of a sudden romance she wasn’t expecting from her life. Baker lets us feel free with these characters, such as how a sex worker falls head over heels with this very energetic guy. Once we get into their married life shortly after, everything goes off the rails, and nobody is happy with Ivan’s situation. It’s pretty crazy how this plan to get the annulment lasts one day after figuring out where he could’ve gone. Through Baker’s control of writing, directing, and even editing, he takes us on a ride that balances a lot of tones with ease. I couldn’t see where the story was heading, whether it would lead to some sort of happy ending or end in tragedy throughout the streets of New York.
Madison might be a familiar face for those who’ve seen the 25-year-old actress in Scream (2022), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, or FX’s Better Things as Pamela Adlon’s oldest daughter. And if her performance in the titular role doesn’t make her a more prominent name in the next year, there will be trouble. Madison is simply amazing in us getting behind Ani living a life she feels comfortable doing, believing her to be all-out compelling. It’s a starring vehicle for her that allows this character to be charming and heartbreaking with her romance with Ivan, not taking any bullshit once Toros gets involved to correct her life choices. She sells every comedic beat and every dramatic beat, right down to the final frame that’s going to be the topic of interpretation. It’s not like she just agreed to be a part of this relationship for the money; it’s as though Ani found someone who could understand her outside the sex escapades time and time again. The journey she gets caught up in when this marriage brings shame to his family makes things worse. Typically, we don’t see sex workers portrayed in this light, yet Madison’s ability to make Ani so layered is enough to call this one of the year’s best performances.
While the rest of the cast may not feature any familiar faces besides Madison, they deliver unexpectedly standout performances. Eydelshteyn, in the role of Ivan (reminiscent of a Russian Timothee Chalamet), embodies the relatable struggle of an adolescent man living the American dream, trying to secure his green card and escape his father’s expectations, all while grappling with his true feelings. And his babysitters have more to them than being seen as tough Russians. The surprise of the trio was Borisov’s Igor, who shares more scenes with Ani near the end that show there’s more to him than we imagined. I also didn’t expect Anora to be this funny. Whether it was nervous laughter or some insult, it wouldn’t surprise me if there was improvement involved. There’s this maybe 15-minute scene when Toros comes to the house, and the escalated chaos that proceeds is something I didn’t think I wanted to end; it’s truly one of the funniest scenes in a while.
And props to Baker’s song choices, such as playing a remix of Take That’s “Greatest Day” during the opening credits and t.A.T.u’s “All The Things She Said,” which takes me back to my childhood. Despite its 139-minute runtime, it was constantly engaging, with it only feeling a tad long near the third act. Once it was over, something in me really wanted to see it again. After finally seeing it, I know why this could be a major awards contender. Just from the Oscars alone, there’s a strong possibility that Baker will be the frontrunner to win Best Original Screenplay, with nominations for Director, Actress for Madison, and Best Picture.
Overall, Anora aims to be Sean Baker’s best and most rewatchable work of his career. Allowing an Oscar-Worthy Mikey Madison to take center stage with a grounded-in-reality screenplay, it’s an original romantic dramedy easy to fall for. Who knows if he’ll top anything with what he does in the next few years, but I loved it.
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