(Spoilers ahead for “Anora,” obviously.)
On Nov. 1, Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning film, “Anora”, was released to theaters in Pittsburgh. The film follows a sex worker, Anora (who prefers to go by the name Ani), played by Mikey Madison. It wasn’t until I got home from the screening that I realized the reason she looked so familiar was because she played one of the Mason Girls in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.” (Yes, the one who was incinerated by Leonardo DiCaprio in his pool!)
The intensity demanded of Mikey Madison for the role of Anora was completely met, and her performance surpassed the total lack of expectations I went into the screening with. In the first act of the movie we follow Anora through what seems to be a Cinderella rags-to-riches story. Our damsel in distress—a stripper with a heart of gold who is really great at what she does—gets rescued by Prince Charming (a charming Russian, Vanya, who is the son of Russian oligarchs). Basically, the guy is loaded. On New Year’s Day, Vanya hires Anora to be his girlfriend for a week for $15,000. What a deal. For one week, Anora spends time with Vanya and his entourage of friends, and finds herself indulging in a life that she had never gotten to live before. What is more romantic than the trope of being paid to be a man’s girlfriend for a week for $15,000? That’s literally the plot of “Pretty Woman.”
On a spontaneous trip to Vegas, Vanya insists that he loves Anora and that he wants her to be his wife. It’s a proposal of sorts. Anora hesitantly accepts and the two of them have a classy white-chappel Vegas Strip marriage. Act one is over. Anora has now become the wife of a wealthy oligarch’s son. In classic Russian oligarch-son fashion, Vanya hates his parents. Now that Vanya has married Anora he admits that he hopes getting a green card will keep him from having to go back to Russia.
Let’s take a second to talk about Anora and Vanya. The reason they meet is because, at the strip club, Vanya requests a girl who can speak Russian. Anora had a Russian grandmother who never learned English growing up. Because of this, she is able to understand Russian, but feels incredibly embarrassed at her accent whenever she speaks Russian. The two communicate in a way that feels incredibly unique, and although the film is set in New York City, the two have this sort of “Before Sunrise” dynamic. Vanya is 21 years old and you can really tell. He spends all of his time playing video games and hanging out with his entourage at clubs. It’s nice to know that at the end of the day, the child of a wealthy Russian oligarch really is just like us!
The marriage between Anora and Vanya makes it back to his family in Russia and there is an immediate call for annulment. Vanya’s father sends three pieces of muscle, Toros, Garnick, and Igor to collect the couple and ensure that their marriage is properly annulled. When they arrive at the house Vanya ends up making a run for it and escapes, leaving Anora all by herself with this mess that he created. Anora does not cooperate, and after biting Garnick and Igor, she is restrained.
What follows is a chase to track down Vanya before his parents arrive the next morning. As is any race against time to catch a rich Russian 21-year-old New York City, this part of the film is brilliant. Sean Baker does a phenomenal job of pacing this film and keeping audiences engaged with the stories of these characters. Everything that you find yourself laughing at is shocking and absurd and sets the audience up to reflect on the nature of Anora’s life and the hell she has had to endure throughout the movie for the sake of our entertainment.
The ending of the movie is still sitting with me. Ultimately, Anora ends up getting her marriage to Vanya annulled and she is back in New York City. She has been forced out of the house and prepares to move back in with her roomate. In the car, Anora begins having sex with Igor, one of the men who assisted in the search for Vayna. However, Igor, who has become increasingly fond of Anora in the past 48 hours, attempts to kiss her. Anora resists the kiss and begins sobbing into his arms as the film ends. A shocking and resonant image that Sean Baker leaves audiences, forcing them to confront and recognize Anora’s pain.
I have such a difficult time pitching this movie to people because I have a difficult time describing it. The movie is very confrontational and blunt in its action, sexuality, and humor. The first minute of the film features a line-up of strippers giving lap dances to various men on couches. Many more minutes feature various sexual encounters — but all of it aids the plot in a way that elevates audiences’ understanding of the prior monotony in Anora’s life and career. The men that she takes into these private rooms are frankly indistinguishable and are all the same. This is why when Anora finds a connection with Vanya, the audience really wants things to work out between the two characters.
This movie is one I would highly recommend and I cannot wait to see the way it is received in the film award season circuit. I am very excited for more people to see “Anora” because I am so desperate to talk about this movie with people. Mikey Madison delivers an award-worthy performance and Sean Baker delivers a story that leaves you wanting more. Watch this film as soon as you can to ensure that you brag about how you liked “Anora” before it sweeps at the Oscars.
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