The problem with 'Anora'

On the films glamorization of sex work and lack of titular character development

I saw Anora, directed by Sean Baker, in November and it has left a bad taste in my mouth ever since. The film won dozens of awards these past few months, including sweeping the Oscars with 5 wins including Best Picture and Lead Actress, but I cannot get on board with this praise because of the massive flaws in character development and overall portrayal of sex work.

The opening shot is a choice to say the least, a slow motion rear view of dancers in a club performing lap dances to old men, ending with the reveal of nude Anora doing her thing, smiling as she does her job. So this is Anora, this is the introduction to her character, nude and giving a lap dance, a choice.

The film follows a 23 year old exotic dancer and stripper from Brooklyn who while working as an escort for the 21 year old son of Russian billionaires, Ivan, ends up eloping in Vegas. Swept up by his lifestyle (money) and belief that she thinks it will forever, they’re married after all, but the film takes its turn when Ivans parents find out about their son's marital endeavor, and send their security (evil minions) to get it annulled immediately.

Anoras character, introduced to audiences in her lap dance glory, is not developed one bit. Sure, the film takes place over a week or so and is fast paced, but who is she? Thick Brooklyn accent, lives with her sister whose name we never learn, seemingly enjoys her job. What else? There's no depth, she's supposed to be this outspoken, smart and witty character, but at the same time are we meant to believe she was naive enough to fall in love with this dofus and thought it was for life? Love, lust, so be it, the Anora I saw would never do such a thing.

When the title of a film is just a character's name I would expect for that character to be developed and multifaceted, but all we know is Anora at work. Her only scenes before the climax are her at work, her in the club or getting paid to be with Ivan, which is not fully her.

Only showing this glamorous ‘fun’ side of sex work before the ultimate demise of her marriage does not serve as characterization of Anora, it does the exact opposite. Who is this girl when she's not working? When she's not ‘on’ and getting paid to be fun and flirty?

That's what it comes down to, I don’t know who Anora is outside of her work or her cigarette breaks. I don’t know who the woman is that I’m rooting for.

I’m not demanding a sit down tell all interview with Anora mid film where she trauma dumps and shares her sob story, but to know anything about her background, how she got involved with sex work, family history, maybe even an acknowledgement of a hobby? Like Ivan, who plays video games for hours, but his new wife? Just lying on his lap watching him play of course.

I started to think about the Bechdel test in regards to Anora, a criteria to which all movies should pass. The bechdel test is “a set of criteria used as a test to evaluate a work of fiction (such as a film) on the basis of its inclusion and representation of female characters” as defined by Miriam Webster. The criteria includes; there are two named female characters, they talk to each other and that they talk about anything other than men.

It does not pass such a test. We see her sister who she lives with maybe twice, but we don't learn her name. She has a coworker friend but their conversations surround work (aka men). She makes a female friend, but is only an extension of her Vanya's life and posse, but once again, conversations surrounding men. Though there may be a few lines where it may fit the criteria, the fact that I even have to question if it passes this very basic criteria is means for failure in my eyes, and the Bechdel Test website's Anora page agrees with me.

There's something to be said about excessive nudity in film nowadays, but in one like this its hard to pinpoint an exact line of “too much” or “excessive” since a hefty percentage of the film takes place in a strip club and sex is a ‘big part of the story’, painful as it is to admit, but in my prudish eyes it's just too much. If they cut down just thirty percent of its sex scenes maybe there would be room to develop the titular character past her work and her body, just a thought.

And to quickly touch on the controversy regarding the lack of intimacy coordinators on set of this film, it's inexcusable. Have we learned nothing? Intimacy coordinators are just as necessary as stunt coordinators, safety first. It shouldn't even be a conversation for actors to decide on, especially young actors, obviously they want to please the filmmakers, don't let anyone interrupt their art, don't add another salary. Weird that it's not already a requirement.

Anyways, back to the characters, Igor, Anoras savior! Thank God for him right? One of Ivan's family henchmen sent to annul the marriage. How are people defending him and treating him like the fairy godmother in this Cinderella story is beyond me when he literally assaulted Anora within seconds of meeting her.

For a film to cater and market itself as a female forward story, why was the entire third act told through his eyes? But don't fret he's not a rapist haha, he's a “fa****”! Don't fret women! Even though he was very much complicit in taking advantage of her in the final scene, rapist or not, he is so helpful! He actually listens to women!

Why is not being a rapist the quota for being a good man? He tied her up, kidnapped her, and violently broke into her home. And were supposed to like him?

Among all of this, lack of character development, male saviors and excessive nudity, the glamorization of sex work is what I find the most disturbing.

How has our culture gone so far to accept this industry that harms hundreds of thousands of women? Women left with no choice but to get into this line of work. Women in the US and around the world that are raped and abused daily in the industry. How have we gotten away with sex work being a pillar of feminism and female empowerment?

We cant look at sex work as only fans creators making millions each month, or successful exotic dancers like Anora choosing this line of work, we need to be looking at sex work as the homeless women left with no choice, as the teens kicked out and lost on what to do next.

We need to look at sex work globally where hundreds of sex workers are murdered each year, where 68% of sex workers have lifelong PTSD, where the average age of a child being sex trafficked is 12 years old, where 3.8 million female sex workers have been trafficked, where the average age of sex workers is 14 years old. (per International Union of Sex Workers)

But no, sex work is empowering, look at Anora, how much fun she is having!

Not that I expect a film to dismantle the global industry, but for this film to promote sex work as wealth, power, fun with little consequence is not how we should be regarding sex work.

If Baker wanted to tell this story he shouldn't have titled it Anora, and acknowledged the inevitable harm of sex work. It's a comedic and entertaining movie, no doubt, and almost feels like a fun adventure at times due to its quick pacing. But walking into ‘Anora’ I expected a film about the woman herself, about her life beyond when it was flipped upside down over a week's span, at least some more development. I left disturbed and disappointed, even more now that it won dozens of awards, but tale as old as time right? Sex sells.