Anora

Sean Baker is truly one of the most impressive filmmakers making movies right now. every one of his films continues to leave me absolutely speechless. it's hard not to view this film within the lens of the grander narrative of Baker's filmography. Baker's goal has always been to bring a sense of neo-realism and humanity to the subject of the working class, deconstructing the American-dream, rags-to-riches fantasy that occupies so much of the film landscape. that idea has evolved to being hyper-fixated on sex work, specifically, with Baker clearly believing in the importance of these stories. prior to this, his films have always focused on the micro, using non-actors, improvisational camaraderie, and colorful settings to bring a real sense of compassion to the communities he's representing, even when engulfed in a tragic story and tragic reality. Anora is the film where Sean Baker breaks away from this. * Anora navigates through the macro of these ideas, using budding A-lister, Mikey Madison, as almost the sole representation of the working class, besides side characters who don't get much time to flourish. this is intentional, because instead, in this film, we get the juxtaposition of exploring the world of the upper class, and its relationship with the people Ani (Mikey Madison's character) represents. when you are existing within that kind of wealth and power, there isn't a thing that isn't* transactional, including love, sex, and relationships. that ideology trickles down to the working class, who end up being nothing more than another commodity for the rich to consume and exploit. I don't want to give away too much, because the film still hasn't reached a lot of people, but I will say that this film plays with tones in a way that might be jarring to those expecting a classic Baker film. especially, the second act, which turns into almost a full blown comedy-adventure. this movie is very funny, and is presented in a cleaner, more blockbuster-friendly approach than we've ever seen a Baker film. it was a little jarring for me too, but I think the Baker purists will be sold on those parts by the end, large in part due to its incredibly powerful finale. wow that finale, man. Mikey Madison is a superstar. Mark Eidelstein is magnetic. the way Baker plays with temperatures and tones and blocking is all so amazing. like with most of his films, it's hard for me to even put into words how I feel about this. I'm speechless. but I loved Anora, and I think this works as a beautiful culmination of Baker's films up to this point. it feels like a victory lap. I sat there, staring at the credits, unable to move, in utter awe, of what I had just seen. this might be my favorite Baker film.