Couch Critic // ‘Anora’: A glitzy Oscar sweep, but does it offer anything new?

Earlier this month, Sean Baker’s “Anora” dominated the 97th Academy Awards, taking home five trophies, including the coveted Best Picture claim. After hours of hearing esteemed actors and presenters praise the film’s brilliance, I knew I had to see it for myself. So, the very next night, I rented “Anora.”

At its core, the film is a simple subversion of the tired “Cinderella Story.” Ani, a sex worker in New York City, marries a Russian oligarch and is lured by the promise of a lavish life. What follows is a tale of heartbreak, betrayal and Ani’s struggle to confront her position in a world that constantly tries to define her. 

Generally speaking, I’d recommend against approaching a film with the expectation of it being Best Picture. High expectations tend to set you up for disappointment, and, suffice to say, “Anora” let me down a little. Of its six nominations, “Anora” won five, three of which I would have chosen for a different film.

The film’s first win was for Baker’s Best Original Screenplay. I find this shocking, especially in retrospect when watching the film. The dialogue in “Anora” is a mostly chaotic blur of characters shouting over one another. While not necessarily a weakness, if we’re talking about award-worthy screenwriting, I’m inclined to tighter, more deliberate dialogue. “Anora” certainly had its standout writing moments, and Baker does demonstrate some impressive attention to detail, but ultimately, it pales little in comparison to my pick, which would have been Jesse Eisenberg for “A Real Pain.” 

Next, Baker and “Anora” took home the Oscar for Best Film Editing. While I’m not incredibly informed on what exactly qualifies a film for this accolade, I was in the camp that Dávid Jancsó would win for “The Brutalist.” Turning a nearly four-hour period drama into a gripping, dynamic experience is the kind of editing that, in my opinion, truly deserves the award. 

Baker took the stage shortly after to accept his Oscar for Best Directing. I don’t have any major issue with this win — he may not have been my first pick, but Baker showcased an undeniable knack for momentum in “Anora,” especially in the film’s first act. 

Mikey Madison then claimed the Best Actress award. While I expected Demi Moore to take it for “The Substance,” “Anora” undoubtedly hinged on Madison’s performance. After all, she is Anora. With a robust resume and thoughtful preparation, Madison immersed herself in the life and experience of Ani, noticeably present in her mindful portrayal of a sex worker. Every interview where Madison details her studying for the role solidifies her victory for me. This was well-earned. 

The film’s Best Picture win is where I really diverge from the Academy’s consensus. “Anora” was quite good, but in the end, it didn’t offer much new. 

To this note, critic Alex Kelaru for Medium argues that much of the acclaim for “Anora” rests heavily on Madison’s performance. When discussing the film’s class commentary, he notes, “The film’s theme of class disparity is handled decently, though it’s nothing new. We’ve seen this done with more depth in [other] films,” before listing other notable class-conscious films, like “Parasite.” 

I find myself largely agreeing with Kelaru. Inherent in the “Cinderella Story” format is classism, and Baker gave us Vanya — a 21-year-old heir of millions who is little more than a spoiled mama’s boy, devoid of any ambition to work an honest living — and Ani — a young woman desperate to escape her lower-class roots only to be mistreated and dehumanized by the wealthy. It is perfectly fine, but nothing so groundbreaking that it deserves the abundance of acclaim it’s received. 

While class consciousness plays a role in “Anora” and certainly ties to the film’s exploration of sex work, I’m willing to admit that the true heart of the story lies less in critiquing the wealthy and more in the personal experiences of women who make a living as sex workers. 

However, I find Sean Baker’s commentary on sex work entirely unremarkable.

If Baker expects praise for making a film that portrays sex workers as human beings with real identities, highlighting the societal disdain for strippers and showing that this is wrong, then fine, that’s certainly a positive message. Of course, there’s value in pushing back against harmful stereotypes and shedding light on the struggles of marginalized groups. However, the basic message that men should give more compassion to women who work in strip clubs does not impress me one bit. This is a baseline expectation, not an artistic revelation. 

The issue here isn’t with Baker’s theme — I agree that the societal view of sex workers should be more compassionate. The problem is that such basic humanity needs to be explicitly articulated on the screen, and for some reason, this is being treated as award worthy. In my view, Baker has created a well-done movie. But it is not transformative, and you don’t get a prize for recognizing basic human empathy.

That being said, in lieu of over-criticizing a film that is ultimately quite good, I’d like to point out the qualities of “Anora” I most enjoyed. 

Across the board, the acting was superb. While Mikey Madison received her flowers on Oscar night, Yura Borisov was the standout for me. Although he may have left the ceremony empty handed without the Best Supporting Actor statue, Borisov’s performance in “Anora” was my favorite part. He doesn’t speak much throughout the two-hour film, yet his presence is extremely charming and grounded. In some of the film’s silliest moments, Borisov manages to elevate the absurdity while keeping it all convincing with the simplest, unspoken reactions. I found the quiet shot of him flipping a baseball bat in his hand strangely touching, even though it goes entirely unnoticed by the other characters. Borisov wields a subtle power in his presence, and as Robert Downey Jr. aptly said on Oscar night, “Brother, you are in the right place.”  

Finally, what is maybe the best thing about the “Anora” Oscar sweep is that it is an entirely independently made film. With a budget of just $6 million and being absent from any traditional studios, “Anora” demonstrates what 40 crew members and indie artists can accomplish. The success of the film should speak to studios, producers and filmmakers across the genre that the world is ready for stories beyond CGI-heavy remakes. I’ll end this piece the same way Sean Baker ended his Best Picture speech — “Long live independent film!”