Sean Baker's Anora (2024) offers an unsentimental modern fairy tale. Ani, played by Mikey Madison, is a New York dancer who takes ownership of her work and believes she understands how to control her surroundings. Meeting Ivan, the carefree young son of a Russian oligarch, pulls her into a world of luxury and chaos. An impulsive affair becomes a quick marriage in Las Vegas. His family responds by trying to have the marriage annulled, leaving Ani fighting to defend the life she thought she had gained.
Drew Daniels's cinematography gives Baker vivid contrasts: dark, saturated clubs and extravagant homes create an almost surreal environment around Ani's apparent control. Her development is the film's centre, moving from sarcastic confidence to a fierce determination to protect her place in this new world. Madison combines toughness with an emotional vulnerability that reaches the audience without softening the character.
Mark Eydelshteyn's Ivan brings tension and volatility to the relationship. The quieter connection developing between Ani and Igor, played by Yura Borisov, is unexpectedly affecting. These different dynamics prevent the story from becoming a simple conflict between a romantic dream and an obvious villain.
Baker weaves class and power into the action rather than separating them out as a lesson. The story feels fresh and unpredictable, particularly when Ani discovers the limits of her independence. In a world where wealth determines who gets to make decisions, her confidence cannot guarantee control. The film's bittersweet emotional direction reveals Baker's sensitivity to human contradictions.
Anora is a lively drama with sharp satirical elements. It demonstrates Baker's skill at connecting social criticism to complicated people and leaves us thinking about relationships, freedom and the difference between choosing a life and being allowed to keep it.