“Anora,” this year’s Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards, is an unflinching portrait of a nightmare disguised as a fairytale. Written and directed by Sean Baker, “Anora” tells the tale of a brash, crafty New York City stripper who marries an immature son of Russian oligarchs. The second Anora signs her marriage license in a 24-7 Las Vegas chapel, she is destined for a bitter conflict with her new in-laws. Baker, a leading director in sex worker narratives, handles the subject matter with a mature and grounded lens. He crafts a vignette of a woman who may not get the security and stability she is secretly desperate for. Over the course of nearly two and a half hours, “Anora” is a sensual and frustrating tour de force in empathetic but realistic filmmaking.
Actress Mikey Madison effortlessly plays the titular character Anora, navigating the thematic shifts in the film with subtle sadness, immense vulnerability, and abject rage. No matter how street tough and savvy Anora is, she can never win against the sheer wealth and power of her new oligarch “family.”
Baker could have allowed Anora to be the victorious one. However, Baker holds true to a more authentic narrative, despite potential moments of frustrated dissatisfaction for the audience. Baker’s commitment to relaying this is commendable, and his execution heartbreaking. He crafts an exciting whirlwind world for Anora and her new husband, Vanya. Sex is fast and clumsy. Multi-level hotel suites are a given. There is an endless amount of drugs and alcohol. As Vanya’s posse drifts from party to party, eventually ending up in Las Vegas, Baker switches to fast handheld camera shots, à la MTV documentary. Anora settles into her new life with a wicked grin and no hesitation. Everything seems perfect — until it disintegrates.
Despite its darker moments, “Anora” is also daringly humorous. Actor Mark Eydelshteyn’s Vanya provides most of the laughter in the film. He expertly plays the role of a coddled child who will never have to grow up. Vanya bumbles through sex jokes and laughs through the sex itself. He spends his days playing video games and strolling around with a weed pen wedged in his ear. Although Eydelshteyn was shut out of this year’s award season, viewers will still leave “Anora” feeling that they just met a future Hollywood powerhouse. Both Madison and Eydelshteyn deliver captivating performances. At first, Vanya is boyishly charming, which Eydelshteyn encapsulates perfectly. He seems to care about Anora and is genuine in his excitement about their new life. However, Baker reminds audiences that appearances can be deceiving. Ulterior motives and weakness lurk beneath Vanya’s charm. When he abandons Anora to avoid his parents, his character shift is striking. My amusement with Vanya’s character morphs into disgust.
After Vanya’s disappearance, the film unfurls its middle section. Baker slows the whirlwind romance down and makes viewers experience the long, futile hunt to somehow find Vanya in the enormous New York City. Some of the film’s momentum is lost at this point, as the plot is shoved aside in favor of character development. At this point, the audience must ask themselves: Am I invested in these characters? Do I want to sit through their growth? If you don’t care enough about said character growth, getting through the next 30 minutes of big-city cinematography and little dialogue might prove difficult. However, I found that Baker put enough work into his characters for me to be invested. I wanted Anora to retain her dream life, even though I knew that she wouldn’t.
A particularly compelling part of the film involves the relationship between Anora and Igor, one of the henchmen sent to end the marriage. The budding relationship between the two is compassionate and complicated, yet Baker refrains from over-explanation, allowing the bond to develop naturally in the film’s quiet moments. He makes his final, poignant statement where he leaves them — two lost, lower-class people who may be forever reliant on the whims of the wealthy. His use of tight, lingering shots of the two reinforces their shared vulnerability.
Reality is far from a fairytale in “Anora.” Baker teaches us that wanting a character to win does not mean they will — a truth as frustratingly pragmatic as it is heartbreaking to witness on screen. Baker’s meandering middle and heartbreaking conclusion may turn some viewers away. However, his sharp sense of character creates a memorable cinematic gem.
Meredith Sneed is a contributing writer for The Prospect from Savannah, Ga. She can be reached at ms1290@princeton.edu.
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