‘Anora’ Is A Hilariously Twisted Cinderella Story

What happens when a sex worker from Brooklyn marries the son of a Russian oligarch in Vegas? I’d wager it’s not a question you’ve asked before, but turns out you get the story of Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning film Anora. Anchored by an enchanting lead performance from Mikey Madison and loaded with surprisingly subtle musings on class, wealth and the American Dream, this film is a remarkable cinematic achievement that’s more than earned its place as one of the front-runners in this year’s tight awards race.

Ani, or Anora (Madison), is a young sex worker in Brighton Beach, a Russian-speaking enclave of Brooklyn, NYC. One night, the son of a Russian oligarch named Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn) requests Ani because she can speak his language, and he becomes immediately infatuated with her. Thus begins an unusual love affair: Ivan asks Ani to be his girlfriend (for pay, of course), and soon asks her to marry him in Vegas. All is happy with the couple… for roughly two weeks, before Ivan’s parents make moves to annul their marriage and bring their son home.

The pair is certainly mismatched — Ani works long nights in the embrace of neon lights and lives by her hard-earned dollars, while Ivan is a hopelessly irresponsible kid with a bottomless bank account living as wildly as possible before he has to go back to Russia. Anora keeps the specifics of how Ani and Ivan feel about the marriage somewhat vague, much to the film’s benefit. Are they in love, or is it a mutually beneficiary arrangement?

An incredibly thoughtful comedy

So when their marriage is challenged, the stakes are vastly different for Ivan compared to Ani, who can see a life beyond her wildest dreams slipping from her hands. Though Ani’s profession does play a huge thematic role in the narrative (she is routinely looked down upon for her occupation by other characters in the film), the overall commentary is less sex work-specific and more about the desire for security in a society dependent on money.

It’s why you’re always rooting for Ani as the movies transforms from rom-com to a stressful comedy-of-errors, because we’ve all experienced the brutality of a capitalist society and desired to escape the necessity for labour as members of the working class.

Director and writer Sean Baker handles this story with the tact that’s become his trademark, made especially evident by its gut-punch ending. His films have a reputation for featuring members of marginalised communities like sex workers and migrants in a way that feels genuinely informed, and Anora is no different – real-life strippers and sex workers play characters in the film, helping make the film feel that much more real. Baker’s sense of place in Anora is also particularly strong; it’s a genuine achievement to make a film about New York City feel singular, but Baker achieves with help from remarkable 35mm cinematography courtesy of Drew Daniels.

Mikey Madison shines in Anora

But I’d argue the greatest reason for Anora‘s success is Mikey Madison’s phenomenal performance as the titluar character. The film is a true test for the up-and-coming Madison, has been a real highlight of films like Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood and the fifth Scream film. Thankfully, it’s a test she passes with flying colours – Baker hired her without an audition, and it’s not hard to see why given the depth of character that Madison imbues Ani with. Her screen presence is absolutely magnetic, and it’ll hardly be surprising when she cleans up every Best Actress category this award season.

It helps that every other performance in the film is also at a similar level of quality. Mark Eydelshteyn is another up-and-comer perfectly cast as the immature heir Ivan, and the supporting cast are genuinely brilliant. Yura Borisov is brilliant as the henchman Igor who slowly becomes infatuated with Ani, while Karren Karagulian and Vache Tovmasyan are non-stop hilarious as brothers and Armenian handlers trying to clean up this unfathomably messy situation that only further spirals out of control.

It all makes Anora one of 2024’s best films and a great time at the cinemas, where it’ll both split sides and provoke thought in equal measure. Recently nominated for five Golden Globes, see for yourself why Anora secured the Palme d’Or and is one of the frontrunners to win Best Picture at next year’s Oscars.

★★★★½

Anora is in cinemas December 26.