Exploring the Impact of Anora’s Bold Intimate Moments on Ani’s Genuine, Heartbreaking Loss of Innocence

Sean Baker‘s acclaimed film Anora shines in various aspects – showcasing the talent of star Mikey Madison, depicting modern life in Brighton Beach, and exploring the harsh realities of the ultra-wealthy. One distinctive feature of the movie is its bold and unapologetic portrayal of sexuality. Right from the beginning scenes set in a Manhattan gentleman’s club to the passionate lovemaking between protagonist Ani (played by Mikey Madison) and her youthful partner Vanya (portrayed by Mark Eydelshteyn), Anora does not hold back on showcasing intimacy. The film fearlessly embraces the theme of sex work as a legitimate occupation, shedding light on the humanity and aspirations of individuals involved in such work. Through these intimate scenes, Anora effectively illustrates Ani’s loss of innocence, immersing viewers in her inner turmoil regarding her future and self-worth.

**Spoilers for Anora, now in select theaters and streaming on digital**

The mastermind behind Anora is Sean Baker, a filmmaker renowned for his candid exploration of the lives of marginalized individuals, including sex workers and the impoverished. He skillfully presents a vivid and nuanced portrayal of their experiences, challenging societal prejudices. In Anora, Baker plunges the audience into the world of Ani, a dancer at a strip club who performs nightly to earn a living. The film features a montage of neon-lit sequences showing Ani and her colleagues in revealing attire, entertaining clients with sensual dances. Despite the demanding nature of her job, Ani exudes confidence and a sense of security, though financial stability eludes her.

The narrative takes a turn when Ani is asked by her employer to entertain a young Russian-speaking client named Ivan, also known as Vanya, the naive son of a wealthy Russian figure. Intrigued by Ani’s imperfect Russian accent, the affluent 21-year-old hires her for paid encounters at his opulent residence. These rendezvous occur in broad daylight, amidst the cold, harsh backdrop of winter. Initially appearing inexperienced and endearing, Vanya allows Ani to take charge, blurring the lines between professionalism and personal involvement as their relationship deepens. Ani enthusiastically engages in erotic performances for her newfound boyfriend, further complicating their arrangement.

In a move that echoes one of cinema’s most indelible modern Cinderella stories, Frank Marshall’s Pretty Woman, Vanya pays Ani a huge sum to basically be his girlfriend for the week. They wind up partying with his friends in Vegas. In a sequence that makes heavy use of that town’s brightly lit and gilt iconography, Ani begins to obviously fall for Vanya. Even their sex becomes more passionate. Ani is even seen being physically submissive to Vanya, who hitherto seemed almost gawkish in the bedroom. It’s a switch up of physical positions that shows how fully she’s Vanya’s at this point.

When Vanya wistfully suggests that they marry so he won’t have to return to Russia, Ani is at first skeptical of the fairy tale coming true. She challenges him to gift her a massive diamond ring. He calls her bluff, promising an even bigger rock. Soon, they are eloping, their euphoria as infectious as the brilliant fireworks literally going off.

After a brief, blissful honeymoon period, reality sets in. Vanya’s oligarch parents learn of his marriage to a “prostitute” and call in their thugs to intercede. When faced with the natural consequences of his actions, Vanya proves to be feckless coward who literally runs away rather than defend his romance. Ani, on the other hand, fights tooth and nail, with all the passion she possesses to prove their love.

The rest of Anora mostly eschews the fantasy found in the glow of florescent light for unflattering natural sunlight. We watch as Ani joins a trio of Vanya’s minders, including the sensitive thug Igor (Yura Borisov), on a wild goose chase for her prodigal husband. They finally find Vanya, drunk, in the arms of a rival dancer, at Ani’s old club. After a failed attempt to annul the marriage in New York, the group embarks on a private flight to Vegas where none other than Vanya’s imposing parents lay down the law.

It’s at this point where it becomes clear that Vanya saw their whole relationship as a game. It was “fun,” a “good time,” a reckless amusement of youth for him. For Ani, it was everything. She finally agrees to an annulment, realizing that she was never anything to Vanya. Igor, recognizing Ani’s pain, boldly requests that Vanya apologize to Ani, which horrifies his imperious parents. Although Ani doesn’t get her apology, she does regain her voice, telling Vanya and his cruel mother off before leaving forever.

The final scene of Anora is crafted in such a way to be open to interpretation. After they bond en route home and spend a quiet, friendly night in Vanya’s pad, Igor reveals he has held on to Ani’s engagement ring. He gives it to her, a woman he clearly admires and prefers to call by her birth name, Anora. After a beat of consideration, Ani attempts to have sex with Igor, but collapses in a puddle of tears in his arms. Was she trying to reciprocate the gift on a business level, to reclaim herself as a sex worker? Was she earnestly trying to express love for him? Can Ani ever use sex as an expression of affection after Vanya? Or has the experience proved to her that sex is a business agreement and she’s the product?

For me, personally, the tragedy is that the final embrace between Ani and Igor is not only the most humane — as he tenderly holds her once she begins to cry — but that it is the most covered up, dimly lit, unglamorous portrayal of sex in the whole film. Ani wasn’t ashamed of herself or her work when we met her, nor was the film. There’s a difference in tone how sex is shot early in the film that only becomes all the more interesting contrasted with this final, haunting scene. Igor is tender to Anora, while Vanya paid for Ani. After the credits roll, will Mikey Madison’s indelible heroine persist in calling herself Ani or could she ever imagine herself as Anora?