Sean Baker has a unique talent for telling stories that have never been told in Hollywood before. Baker’s 2015 film, “Tangerine,” follows the story of a transgender sex worker in pursuit of her boyfriend to accuse him of cheating on her while she was in jail. In 2021, Baker released “Red Rocket,” a film about a washed-up adult film actor returning to his hometown in Texas. And in “Anora,” easily Baker’s most ambitious project yet, he expounds upon themes present in his earlier films, takes enormous creative leaps and puts his prowess as a filmmaker on full display.
The film, produced and distributed by Neon, continues the unprecedented hot streak for the studio. Behind the success of films like “Parasite,” “Longlegs,” and “I Tonya,” the studio has skyrocketed to success, becoming one of the most successful indie film studios to the tune of five consecutive Palme d’Or awards at the Cannes Film Festival.
“Anora” tells the sprawling tale of Anora — referred to in the film as Ani — an erotic dancer in New York City discontent with her life in the club scene, portrayed by Mikey Madison. Her fortune changes when, one night, she meets Ivan — referred to in the film as Vanya — the entitled son of a wealthy Russian businessman played by Mark Eydelshteyn in his American film debut. Ani is immediately drawn to Vanya and his deep pockets, as he spares no expense in getting better acquainted with her.
The film makes a fascinating distinction early on, incorporating genre tropes of traditional romantic comedies and fairytale stories to emphasize the dichotomy between the two main characters. Ani and Vanya’s relationship is initially vain — a surface-level fling that was fundamentally not meant to last. The film contains shades of “Cinderella” in its rags-to-riches story but subverts the spectator’s expectation of such a conception through its use of sex, drugs and the heartbreaking effect of betrayal.
It is at this point the film is tasked with making a decision — to portray Vanya as a spoiled, immature kid or as a sympathetic, well-intentioned and fundamentally innocent young man. In depicting Vanya as the latter, he becomes more sympathetic and likable in the mind of the spectator, and the audience inherently roots for his relationship with Ani to work out.
The first hour of the film is a flurry of filmmaking magic, elevating Baker’s already established eye for cinematography to a higher level through sweeping tracking shots and brilliantly vibrant colors and lighting. The film uses a number of lively party montages to transition from contrasting Ivan and Ani’s distinct backgrounds to showcasing the authenticity of their love.
After several transactional encounters between Ani and Vanya, the two grow closer and seem to genuinely fall for one another. Ivan proposes to Anora with the intent of obtaining a green card and remaining in the United States permanently so he would not be forced to return to Russia to work for his father. She accepts, and the two get married in Las Vegas.
One of the most stunning sequences in the film takes place immediately after the wedding along the Las Vegas Strip, following the newlyweds in their unbridled joy. This scene is a bright, breathtaking spectacle of cinematography, an encapsulation of the ecstasy and spontaneity of young love. For a moment, “Anora” convinces the audience that, just maybe, this improbable relationship will work out.
And, if this were a true fairytale, that just might be the case. But this is not a typical fairytale, there will be no happy ending here.
Once Vanya’s parents catch word of their son’s marriage to a sex worker, they drop everything and fly to New York to confront him. Before they leave, they dispatch Vanya’s godfather and his two lackeys to detain Ivan and Anora until they arrive to get the marriage annulled.
In scenes ranging from physical comedy à la “Home Alone,” to a frantic chase along a boardwalk in search for Vanya — harkening back to “Tangerine” in its desperate desire to preserve a relationship — the second half of the film is a true thematic and emotional whirlwind. From the euphoric highs of the early stages of their relationship to the crushing weight of heartbreak later in the film, “Anora” pulls no punches in its portrayal of the raw, brutal reality of emotion.
Madison gives a career-best performance in the role, putting on full display her range of physical acting talent, the evocation of empathy and her ability to balance a myriad of different tones and scenes. Ultimately, “Anora” is a showcase of her undeniable skill as an actor and a test of vulnerability, both for Madison and Ani alike.
In returning Ani to roughly the same place at which she started the film, “Anora” emphasizes the harsh, unforgiving nature of reality and the fickle concept of love in young relationships. As Baker has done in previous films — including “The Florida Project” and “Red Rocket” — he directly confronts the societal exploitation of sex workers, calling out the inherent injustice of the industry and praising those who work in the profession for their bravery and strength.
One aspect of “Anora” that distinguishes it from the other films in Sean Baker’s catalog is that it truly feels like the most complete, comprehensive work that he has released to date. The aforementioned “Tangerine” was shot entirely on three iPhone 5S cameras around the city of Los Angeles. Baker’s 2004 film, “Take Out,” was produced on a budget of a measly $3,000.
While some filmmakers debut with sizable production crews and massive budgets, Baker’s story is that of the progressive growth of a creative filmmaker, making his way in Hollywood on merit alone.
As a result, it is a feat in itself for Baker to reach the heights and acclaim that his films have experienced already. In building on the scale and production of each film, Baker hones his craft over time while remaining deeply involved in each of his projects — he is credited as director, writer, producer, editor and casting director for “Anora.” This most recent film feels like a culmination of his growth as an artist in Hollywood and a celebration of how far he has come in such a competitive industry — one which still leaves room for growth and further experimentation.
At the conclusion of the screening, Madison was presented with the Virginia Festival’s Achievement in Acting Award, presented to an actor for their creativity, skill, dedication and performance for a single transcendent role. Upon her emergence onstage, she was greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd.
In a brief interview after the film with a reporter from IndieWire, Madison spoke of the physical toll the film’s production took on her, an aspect that required her to learn how to dance, how to interact in a club setting and how to truly embody the role of “Anora.”
“I definitely did more physical preparation for this character than I ever had before,” Madison said. “I wanted to have that physicality — that dancer’s physicality. It made me feel different in my body. I was more in tune with the sexuality that I didn’t have before.”
Madison, known for her roles in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and the 2022 reboot of the horror classic, “Scream,” was able to showcase her incredible talent, not only through her physical presence, but also through her delivery, performance and ability to evoke emotion from diverse audiences in theaters around the world.
She also spoke of the dedication of each member of the cast and crew, who were motivated by the unwavering drive to match Baker’s creative vision for the film.
“I think all of us just had an awareness that some of the scenes would appear to be absurd. But obviously, I think that the only way to pull that off is to have as grounded of a performance as possible,” Madison said. “I think we were all committed to the moment but willing to go as far as we needed to physically to make it work.”
Madison, who is garnering widespread praise for her role, remained extremely humble in speaking to the audience. She expressed her gratitude to be a part of a film like “Anora” and for every member of the cast and crew that made the vision possible.
“Making this film and collaborating with so many passionate creatives was reinvigorating and really reminded me what I love about filmmaking,” Madison said. “The drive and craving to tell stories that move people to create something meaningful and bring people together like we all are now… I love being a part of this, and I love my film, ‘Anora.’”
Finally, she spoke of her growth and development as a rising star in Hollywood. Starting from her role on the television series “Better Things” at the age of 16, Madison has grown and changed tremendously to reach the current stage of her career, a stage on which she can showcase her incredible talent and garner the praise she has proven she deserves.
“I was able to grow with my character and even get to a point where I'm like, ‘I know so much about her, but I'm still going to leave room to discover more,’” Madison said. “And I think that that was, it was a big part of the process of me falling in love with acting and getting more into film.”
“Anora” is a showcase of talented, creative individuals working at the highest level to achieve a singular artistic ambition. This also figures to be just the beginning for both the film — which is projected to have a very successful awards season — and its team, with Baker, Madison and others drawing the attention of the film industry to their brilliance.
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