*Content Warning: Major spoilers for “Anora” ahead*
I watch a lot of movies, and I write about my favorites. It isn’t often that I will dedicate an entire article to one movie. However, Sean Baker’s “Anora” deserves that. Before continuing, I want to mention that this movie is very sexually explicit and this article contains spoilers.
This movie is by far my favorite movie of 2024, dare I say the best movie from the year. The film takes place in New York City, more specifically, the Brighton Beach area. The movie follows an exotic dancer named Ani (later known as Anora), played by Mikey Madison, who meets a very rich young man, Ivan while working at a dance club. Ivan, who is a rich heir from Russia, ends up spending thousands on Ani for intercourse but also pays her to be exclusive with him for a week, where they end up going to Las Vegas together. In Vegas, Ani and Ivan find themselves falling for each other. One night there, they decide to marry each other. After they get married, they spend so much time together partying, being intimate and falling in love. This is to imitate a “Cinderella Story” for women in the sex work industry. Anora comes from very little, working in a not-so preferable industry, to falling in love with a rich prince to save the day. This is the plot that Sean Baker built up for the main character, Anora. However, when she is at the peak of this relationship, Ivan’s parents become aware of the relationship and send his caretakers, Toros and Garnick, and security guard, Igor, to break up the marriage. Unlike Toros and Garnick, Igor seems to have more of a kind-hearted approach to Ani. Even though everyone in Ivan’s life views Ani as less than because of her job, Igor still views her as a person and a strong woman, showing that through his mannerisms and gestures towards her. Ivan ends up running away for the day to avoid the backlash from his parents; however, the next day after they find him and fly to Vegas to get their marriage annulled. Despite Ani’s efforts to avoid a breakup, her hopes to stay married are ruined when Ivan doesn’t fight for their marriage. Left heartbroken, she and Igor return to Brooklyn. When Igor tries to drop her off at her home, she doesn’t leave, instead stays in his company, and cries in his arms. Throughout the movie, Baker does a fantastic job foreshadowing the conclusion of Anora and Igor ending up together as he portrays scenes that show Igor genuinely caring for Anora when she is going through a lot with the end of her new marriage.
The creativity and intention behind Baker’s direction is what makes this movie so beautiful. He really showcases the struggles, exploitation, and fear sex workers feel in their work environment and just how dangerous, raw, and emotional it is to be a sex worker. Anora really finds comfort and security in Ivan to the point that he’s bringing her true happiness, outside the money he provides her. I really love how even though she loses her relationship with Ivan, she still has a sort of happy ending with Igor (or at least the start of one), and you can really tell he doesn’t want to hurt her. Alongside the storyline of this movie, it was ridiculously funny. The balance between the depth of the plot and comedy really helped disguise just how deep and sad the storyline of Ani’s character really was, but also made the audience fall in love with and root for her character. Overall, I think the artistry, genius scriptwriting and very intentional direction of this movie is what made it my movie of the year.