Anora Review: A Masterful Tale of Empathy and Grit

Sean Baker’s Anora follows the turbulent story of New York exotic dancer Anora, played compellingly by Mikey Madison. Baker, known for prior films centered on sex work like Tangerine and Starlet, directs with his customary compassion and flair for chaos. The film premiered this year at the Cannes Film Festival, where Baker’s anarchic storytelling style and Madison’s breakthrough performance drew notable praise.

Anora works at a Manhattan gentleman’s club that Baker depicts with realism, neither salacious nor sanctimonious. There she catches the eye of Ivan, the carefree son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Ivan sweeps her into a lavish world of parties, jets, and spontaneous romance.

On a whim in Las Vegas, the two marry. But when Ivan’s conservative family learns of the union, they dispatch forces to intervene. What follows is a flurry of loyalties shifting and tensions rising, with Anora’s resolve tested at every turn.

Love and Chaos in Brighton Beach

We’re introduced to Anora, who goes by “Ani,”  as she works her shift at an upscale Manhattan gentleman’s club. Ani is a clever exotic dancer with ambition, supporting herself and her sister in nearby Brighton Beach. One night, a new customer catches her eye: Ivan, a charming yet reckless young man spending his father’s fortune.

Ivan is enthralled by the independent-minded Ani. Seeing potential for more than just a dance, he pursues her outside the club. Ani agrees to spend time with Ivan for pay, enjoying his lavish lifestyle. They bond through intimate moments together in Ivan’s opulent home. Yet it’s clear that Ivan struggles with commitment, preferring partying over depth.

On a drunken whim, Ivan sweeps Ani away to Las Vegas. Overcome by passion for her beauty and zest for life, he suddenly proposes marriage. Ani, touched by his efforts to care for her, accepts in a moment of optimism. They wed gleefully that very night.

However, word of the union soon reaches Ivan’s conservative parents in Russia. Aghast at their son’s marriage to an exotic dancer, they send intermediaries to intervene. When Ivan disappears, conflict arises as the intermediaries try to wrest Ani from what she believes is her new life and family.

What follows is an escalating clash of cultures and convictions. Ani fights ferociously to hold on to her dream while being surrounded by those doubting her intentions. Through it all, she maintains her fierce independence and dignity against a world not always eager to understand a woman living outside their expectations.

As the chaos in Brighton Beach intensifies, it remains to be seen if Ani’s belief in love and hope can withstand the fallout from her whirlwind decision in Vegas with the troubled Ivan. Sean Baker’s film captures the vibrant setting, compelling characters, and collisions when different life experiences collide.

Sean Baker’s Vivid Vision

Filmmaker Sean Baker has long focused his lens on those existing at the fringe of society. Across movies like Starlet, Tangerine, and The Florida Project, he shed light on overlooked communities through compelling stories and unforgettable characters. Baker’s latest, Anora, shows he only continues sharpening a singular cinematic style.

Born in New Jersey, Baker discovered an early passion for documented realism. Rather than controlled Hollywood sets, he prefers on-location shooting that soaks audiences in a film’s world. Through visceral visuals and natural performances, Baker ensures we feel connected to even his roughest subjects. Whether in a Los Angeles motel or Brooklyn strip club, the gritty environments never feel exploited—only truthfully portrayed.

In Anora, Baker collaborated again with acclaimed cinematographer Drew Daniels, crafting each setting with distinct flair. Their camerawork brings the slickness of Manhattan clubs and the frenetic energy of Las Vegas to life, always maintaining an intimate perspective. Even in extravagant surroundings, Baker keeps characters at the forefront. Colorful pop tunes also add levity and meaning, just as in Red Rocket, where they revealed unspoken emotions.

While addressing timely issues, Baker avoids being preachy. His characters are messy but relatable, and their humanity is underscored, whether struggling or celebrating. Like the independent women at the film’s center, Baker celebrates living on one’s own terms.

Through visually stunning storytelling, Sean Baker has carved a unique path, highlighting those on society’s periphery. With Anora, his compassionate eye and gift for authentic portraiture prove to be in full effect once more.

Holding Her Own

Mikey Madison completely owns the screen as Anora. While the character faces plenty of struggles, Madison ensures we root for her from beginning to end. There’s inner strength and optimism in Anora that’s captivating.

Stripping to pay bills isn’t easy, yet Anora approaches each client with enthusiasm. She keeps her wits, negotiating handsomely. Anora understands her worth, maintaining control in an often objectifying environment. It’s no surprise that she initially takes charge of Vanya too. Anora knows what she wants and asserts herself to get it.

Under the bravado, though, it’s clear Anora just wants stability. Affection from Vanya offers that, so she allows his charm to sweep her up. Anora dares to dream of a “happily ever after,” even if reality isn’t so kind. When problems emerge, her sadness feels deeply authentic. Madison conveys an incredible vulnerability.

Still, Anora refuses to stay down. Faced with thugs trying to separate her from Vanya, she unleashes ferociousness few expected. Anora holds her ground tooth and nail, a testament to her grit. Even overwhelmed, Anora’s quick thinking tries to turn the tide. She won’t simply bend to anyone’s will.

As the situation grows dire, Anora’s resilience remains notable. Where others crumble, she stands tall in her conviction. Anora clings to the hope that love is not a fleeting farce and that she has found belonging at last. It’s a poignant message, regardless of one’s circumstances.

Through it all, Madison ensures our empathy stays with Anora completely. Even accounting for flaws, she’s a wholly sympathetic figure, solely desiring her place. In a less sensitive portrayal, Anora could so easily be reduced to a hapless victim. But Madison elevates her to someone genuinely striving, someone we can’t help but root for against any odds. Her performance is simply stunning.

Secondary Stars Support the Lead

While the film rests on the fully realized performance of Mikey Madison in the central role, several supporting actors provide able backup. Mark Eydelshteyn brings just the right blend of recklessness and charm to Ivan, ensuring his infatuation with Anora feels believable early on. Eydelshteyn ensures viewers understand Ivan’s immaturity while still conveying what first drew Anora to him.

Karren Karagulian steals many scenes as Toros, bringing deadpan humor to an otherwise tense situation. Tasked with solving the “problem” of Anora, Toros approaches his mission with equal parts exasperation and comedy. Never threatening, Toros acts as the uneasy peacekeeper between those from differing worlds. Karagulian elevates Toros as someone caught between cultures rather than a straightforward villain.

Equally compelling are the Russian characters played by Yura Borisov as Igor and Vache Tovmasyan as Garnick. Borisov hints at aloofness but shows unexpected care towards Anora, adding layers. Meanwhile, Tovmasyan brings unpredictable erraticism to Garnick that mirrors his countrymen’s volatility.

The diverse performances ensure no character falls into a simple stereotype. Supporting Madison’s nuanced work, these actors convey multidimensional people, not types. It’s this attention to authenticity that makes Baker’s films resonate far beyond their memorable stories.

Cultural Specificity Through Captivating Locations

Baker truly brings various settings to life in “Anora.” From the moment we step inside the strip club, you feel transported to this vibrant yet seedy world. Gleaming colors and pulsing music immerse us in the atmosphere.

We experience a variety of NYC locales through Ani’s eyes. She guides us along the boardwalk of a desolate winter on Coney Island. Grey skies loom over abandoned rides, offering a stark contrast to the area’s former bustling energy. This downtrodden scene parallels Ani’s current situation.

Brighton Beach’s cultural specificity also shines through. The neighborhood, bursting with Russian restaurants and residents, feels genuinely lived-in. Scenes like Ani visiting her sister illustrate the tight-knit community she finds solace in. Even small details, like signs written in Russian, lend authenticity.

Baker transports us to opulence through Ivan’s lavish estate, from its sweeping water views to walls of gleaming luxury vehicles. Yet an emptiness within reveals all is not as it seems. The ostentatious wealth contrasts sharply with Ani’s working-class reality, exposing tensions between their worlds.

Las Vegas provides perhaps the boldest visual feast. Its hyper-saturated hues and glitz pull us into the fantasy fueling Ani’s whirlwind journey. When reality sets in, the setting’s artificial glitter seems cold rather than exciting.

Attentive camerawork and lighting paint each place in precise shades, reflecting its mood. The director understands people cannot be separated from their environments, so he ensures both characters and cultures feel genuine to the last detail. Baker brings diverse settings vibrantly to life, told through the relatable lens of one woman’s experience.

Realism Within the Fantasy

Baker has long explored those existing on society’s edges, and with Anora, he shines a light on sex work with empathy and care. This film, like his others, examines a world many do not see.

Anora dreams not of extravagance but of stability. Growing up without much, she’s drawn to Ivan and the fantasy of his wealth. Yet Baker presents their dynamic realistically—it’s a transaction, and her feelings emerge alongside her wishes to escape hardship.

Ivan views Anora as the fulfillment of carnal desires, blind to how privilege shields him from life’s challenges. When reality intrudes, he flees responsibility in childish panic. Their collision of cultures and expectations was doomed from the start.

As the facade crumbles, Anora’s disillusionment is poignant. Still, Baker never reduces her; in the face of betrayal and danger, she maintains fierce dignity. Her grit emerges not by circumstance but by nature, a spirit unbreakable.

Divides of class, language, and nationality erupt violently once a marriage threatens family power. Baker scrutinizes how easily love crosses from dream to bargaining chip and how marginalized women become punished for men’s actions.

Yet within intensity lies nuance. Igor, an “outsider,”  sees in Anora a reflection of his own otherness. In sharing her plight, he transcends biases through a common ground of understanding.

By the journey’s end, Anora’s optimism dies but not her will to survive, and in survival lies triumph. Baker tells her story with empathy, convicting not characters but systems that degrade human lives. Anora’s arc reminds us that, against all odds, spirit prevails so long as one draws breath.

A Raw Yet Rewarding Story

Anora proves Sean Baker a master storyteller, crafting a raw yet moving tale. At its heart is Mikey Madison, who brings Anora to life with depth and empathy. She ensures our investment, even as hopes collide with harsh truths.

Baker knows life offers no easy answers. Anora fantasizes of escape, yet her struggles echo those of marginalized communities. Ivan brings excitement but flees responsibility. Their collision exposes fragility within privilege, alongside the resilience of the vulnerable.

Comedy and drama intertwine flawlessly. Baker finds light in darkness, reminding us that us that oppression shapes but cannot break the human spirit. Anora’s fight awakens conscience in unlikely places, showing redemption possible wherever empathy arises.

This film gives voice to the unheard. It pulls no punches, for truth demands honesty. Yet Baker’s compassion buffers the blows. We exit thoughtful, recognizing shared humanity beneath surface differences.

Anora draws us into a vivid world, easy to overlook but crucial to understand. Both harrowing and hopeful, its messages linger long after the closing credits. For those willing to look beyond, real rewards await.