Why Anora Was the Most Surprising Film of the Year
2024-10-24 · 5 min read
Nobody predicted that a film about a Brooklyn sex worker who marries a Russian oligarch's son would win the Palme d'Or at Cannes, earn over $35 million theatrically, and launch its lead actress into the Oscar conversation. But Sean Baker's Anora did all of those things while being one of the most entertaining and emotionally complex films in years.
The first act plays like a fairy tale. Ani, played by Mikey Madison, meets Ivan at the strip club where she works. They party, they fall in love, they fly to Vegas and get married. Baker shoots this section with infectious energy, the camera as giddy as the characters. You're swept up despite knowing something has to give.
When it gives, the film transforms completely. Ivan's family sends their fixers to annul the marriage, and the screwball comedy turns into something more desperate and real. Madison's performance pivots from charming to feral as Ani fights to hold onto the life she's been offered.
The ensemble cast, largely composed of Russian-speaking actors unknown to American audiences, is uniformly excellent. Yura Borisov as Igor delivers a performance of extraordinary subtlety. His scenes with Madison create a dynamic that the film's final minutes transform into something devastating.
Baker's direction maintains empathy for every character without excusing anyone's behavior. Ani isn't a victim or a saint. Ivan isn't purely villain or fool. The film refuses to simplify its characters into moral categories, which is precisely what makes the emotional payoff so powerful.
Anora's success proves that audiences are hungry for original stories told with craft. No IP. No franchise. No built-in audience. Just a filmmaker with a clear vision, a remarkable cast, and a story that earns every one of its emotional beats. It's the kind of film that makes you remember why you go to the movies.
