A feeble attempt at what I’d call an anti-Cinderella story. It really sucks that Ani/Anora as a character isn’t really explored in her motivations, desires, or interiority as a person when the film is supposed to be about her. Mikey Madson is innocent in this, as she brings what she can to the character. I think the film falls apart a bit because of that component. Flashy as it is, the film is of very little substance. Which sucks, I felt like the film starts off really strong too. I had no problem with the pivot into conflict either, it was morse so the means in which it happens. When Ivan abandons Anora, the film becomes about finding him. We’re introduced to Toros, Garnick and Igor who are hilarious, but also given way more depth than Anora. Anora’s only motivation becomes finding Ivan and saving their marriage, which doesn’t feel convincing to me. The search for Ivan felt like Sean Baker’s attempt at a Safdie-esque narrative, which felt anxiety-inducing and hilarious but left me wondering why Anora was making the decisions she was making. It’s not that I didn’t sympathize with her character, goodness the poor girl is narratively thrown through the mud for the entire film after the first act. I just wish we’d seen more of who she was to make it all feel worth it. Baker’s final attempts at the end to humanize Anora feel bitter and that ending was… hmm… 

I think Sean Baker should stop making films about sex workers.