‘Anora’ Film Review: A Look Into The World of Sex Workers Explores Exploitation, Humor, And Pain

 

By Evan L. Jackson

In the first seconds of Anora it’s easy to see that filmmaker Sean Baker sets the tone of the film. Mikey Madison’s character as Anora is part charismatic, manipulative, and a bravado masking her deep sorrow. But it begs the question in the end who is doing the manipulation? Who is doing the exploration. Shades of a fun romp, there our themes that slink below the surface of the film. Anora lucks up and lands a happy go lucky no responsibility young adult, son of a wealthy Russian businessman. It unfolds as party real life fairytale into a grim nightmare. 

There have been a lot of comparisons to this film to Pretty Woman, the 90’s rom com classic starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere but let me compare to a few other movies. What made Pretty Woman work is Julia Roberts and Richard Gere were equally charming, a battle of wits. In Anora Mikey Madison carries the emotional weight of the film on her back!

The supporting characters are fine but you see the range of emotions and scenarios a sex worker would have to go through. At first the film feels like Cinderella, where the princess of her place is swept off her feet with someone who can drastically change her life for the better. Then it turns into Little Red Riding Hood. Anora is preyed upon and does some

praying her self in a way, mulling over calling authorities or excepting the money promised to her. What’s fascinating is Sean Baker letting us into the psychology of Anora as a sex worker: what would you go through in order to get this money? The subject of love comes up and it’s defined in so many different ways in this film yet in the last ten minutes it explodes across the screen in the most unlikely way. Mikey Madison has received many accolades for this film, non other higher then the esteemed Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture. What Sean Baker gets so right is having the audience root for Anora and going along this journey with her.

Sean Baker’s combination of being the writer and director of Anora is damn near impossible and in my opinion easily his most commercial film yet. His other films are very well directed and often talks about the subject of sex workers but this delves into the pathos of one with Mikey Madison’s brilliant performance being the vehicle of it all. From her laughing at how Ivan has sex and is clearly inexperienced, Anora standing up for herself, and again those crushing final scenes. Independently made this film has a glossier look then his other films an almost New Jersey slick sheen to it with a pop of Vegas wonderment. The desperation of each character is fascinating to watch. The humor lightly sprinkled into the script adds levity to the film, distracting from the depriving nature of it all. And again, Mikey Madison delivers a performance that’ll have you thinking about it for days.