Anora

mikey madison is going to be an all-timer sean baker continues to destigmatize sex work while simultaneously deconstructing the idea of using sex as a replacement for intimacy. sex and nudity are treated very non-chalant; there’s no exploitation or allure. if anything, ani’s stripping and sex work is depicted as an artform there’s also MAJOR themes of class— and baker reminds us that sex work while valid is still a working class profession, and it will be exploited by the wealthy just the same. anora wants security and she thinks she finds that in vanya, but he’s really just using her i saw some reviews calling this a reconstructed Cinderella story and didn’t realize just how literal that was. however, in this instance, cinderella has to go looking for her prince. so fucking funny too? idk why the trailers underplay that. it’s hilarious. it’s more com than rom (not sure you can even call it a rom with that electric ending). not sure i agree with the comments that it feels like After Hours or Uncut Gems. Baker goes out of his way to show that Ani is never in any real danger (framing Igor positively and prominently, showing the Armenians as incompetent and frustrated lackeys, it’s always more comedic than stressful etc). he also slows down the pacing very deliberately when they go looking for Vanya: this isn’t an anxiety inducing search, it’s slowly waking up from a manic night in the town. “how you say… bender?” the central conceit i think is “can love be selfless or is it inherently transactional?” for Ani, she’s lost sight of idealistic romantic love, so what’s wrong with marriage and sex for money. she wants vanya to fuck her slowly while he just wants to rut like rabbits. she genuinely wants love and marriage. at the end, igor offers her love— her, for herself, and she can’t handle it. there’s so much unsaid about how someone has been treated perceived and used (as a SWer, as a worker, and as a woman) where they reach that point where genuine affection feels wrong and bad. it’s worth noting igor never sees Ani naked; that’s not what he likes about her also fuck Diamond