Young stripper Anora, or ‘Ani’ for short (Mikey Madison), is asked by her boss to entertain Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the young son of a Russian oligarch. The two find a connection in their shared Russian heritage, and begin a relationship after a period where Ani is paid by Vanya to pose as his girlfriend. However, after the two marry in Vegas, news spreads to Vanya’s family via Russian social media, prompting Vanya’s enraged parents to send his godfather Toros (Karren Karagulian) and his henchmen Garnick (Vache Tovmasyan) and Igor (Yura Borisov) to find the couple to arrange an annulment.

Baker expands his unique vision without compromising his style in his charting of Ani’s chaotic journey, going from the more expected early scenes showing her life as a stripper and early relationship with Vanya to a darkly comedic second half involving Toros and his men that resembles the likes of In Bruges before a surprisingly emotional final third act that reveals the effects of the film’s events on Ani. This approach allows Baker to handle multiple tones skilfully, from broad comedy in Ani’s fighting with Toros and Igor, to romance in chronicling the events leading to her short-lived marriage with Vanya, without any aspect feeling false.

In addition, the central performances are what really help to bring the story to life, with Madison in particular impressing as Ani, embodying her defiant attitude when faced with the threat of breaking up her marriage just as well as her later vulnerability. She also deftly handles the character’s many comedic moments. It’s easy to see why she is being considered by many to be a potential Best Actress winner at next year’s Oscars. The supporting cast also excels, with Eydelshteyn convincing in his depiction of Vanya’s immaturity and initial charisma and Karagulian providing a hilarious turn as the increasingly agitated Toros, effectively escalating the character’s desperation and fury as his frantic search for Vanya sends him on a wild goose chase.

Ultimately, it’s Baker’s decision to portray the central character as a three-dimensional human being that makes Anora such an appealong film. Ani has real needs and feelings as well as strengths and weaknesses, making her more than a stereotypical ‘hooker with a heart of gold’. This sensitivity, whilst it shouldn’t be surprising in 2024, is still unique enough to make Baker and his latest creation stand out in a sea of seemingly-progressive films being released this autumn.

In cinemas nationwide now