Anora Movie Review (2024)
A glossy film about the experience of a young stripper and a rich patron, Anora is funny, electric, and visually captivating in all the right ways. Plus, the soundtrack is amazing.
I am a big fan of Sean Baker. He wrote and directed The Florida Project (a favorite of mine), Tangerine, and Take Out, and all of them are noticeably similar in style. Sean Baker movies have an intimate shaky-cam way of filming that makes you feel as if you are watching a documentary even though you are aware that you aren’t. So when he won the Academy Awards for directing, writing, and editing Anora in 2025, I was super excited for this director that I was so aware of.
Anora is the story of Ani (whose full name is Anora), a 23 year-old New York stripper who can speak Russian because she had a grandmother that didn’t speak English. When a young patron requesting a girl who speaks Russian visits her strip club, she begins a whirlwind affair with this man, who is the son of a Russian oligarch.
Anora reminded me of Pretty Woman with the Disney coating stripped away. The first half is full of language, sex, and nudity, but with a charming and glossy upbeat feel. Everything is exciting and a party until it isn’t. Because, let’s face it, no matter the circumstance, a party can’t continue forever.
The second half, which is a very visceral shift, remains silky and intriguing, but focuses on the end of the party. The time after, where people are a little hung over, the house has to be vacuumed, and everyone has gone home. And there you sit, feeling a little grimy, looking back on whatever messes you (sometimes unintentionally) suddenly find yourself in.
The soundtrack to Anora is absolutely killer. It is what keeps the vibe of the film flowing and helps to harness all of the energy that you’re watching on screen. The visuals are beautiful and exciting, and, whether it is day or night, the glitz and glamour are always peeking through.
This film is considered both a comedy and a drama, and for good reason. There are some extremely funny moments within the dry humor of the script, and yet the circumstances can be amusing and tragic at exactly the same time.
The cast is excellent, and while Mikey Madison (who took home the Academy Award for this part) stands out in the role of Ani, I am not sure that she could have stayed as nuanced and interesting without the rest of the actors around her. This is not an ensemble film, but the supporting actors really do allow her to shine.
Without discussing what ultimately happens in the movie, the one thing to consider while watching Anora is how much she has to protect herself from everyone. Almost no one cares about who she is (who she really is) unless she can give them something, so by the end of the movie, that is what she has to reckon with.
I didn’t have as deep an experience with this film as I did with The Florida Project, but Anora is beautiful, exciting, and very funny. Well worth watching!
Runtime: 138 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English, Russian, and Armenian with English subtitles
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Available: On Hulu, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
