“Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.”
THROUGH THE YEARS, all different kinds of films have come to be known as an “Oscar Movie.” You may not think of horror when you think of an “Oscar Movie,” but that didn’t get in the way of The Exorcist or Get Out when it came time to earn a Best Picture nomination. You might not think of a romantic comedy as being an “Oscar Movie,” but that didn’t stop Cher or Jennifer Lawrence from winning Best Actress for Moonstruck and Silver Linings Playbook respectively.
A well-done romantic comedy, historically, hasn’t gotten the same respect that it’s dramatic brethren does. But sometimes a movie, or a performance, is so undeniable that it forces the conversation. One instance of that happening is Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, the 1991 film that grossed $463 million dollars, jettisoned her to the A-list, and earned her her second Oscar nomination.
Pretty Woman setting that precedent would prove to be quite important for Anora, one of 2024’s most notable contenders at the Academy Awards and a movie that clearly took influence from Pretty Woman. While Pretty Woman is essentially a Cinderella story about a sex worker (Roberts) who falls in love with a businessman (Richard Gere), Anora is a little more realistic. It also follows a sex worker named Anora (Ani for short, played by Mikey Madison) who meets an immature and charismatic twenty-something at the club she works at, who turns out to be the son of a Russian oligarch. Ani’s journey through Anora is fun and funny at times, but also comes with the tension and gritty realism of a movie like Uncut Gems; this is no traditional romcom, and that’s part of why it’s struck a chord with film lovers and The Academy.
Writer/director Sean Baker has always made it a goal to tell realistic, grounded stories of working class people in America. Movies like Red Rocket, The Florida Project, Tangerine, and Take Out are all wonderfully-crafted stories about people who don’t typically get to be the subject of major movies with big releases; these are stories that otherwise might not be told, and that’s part of what makes Anora not only entertaining, but important.
Anora is one of the year’s most entertaining, funny, but also, in ways, gutting, movies. And it has rightfully made it’s way into becoming one of the leading contenders at the 2025 Academy Awards.
And perhaps the best news of all? You can watch it at home right now.
How can I watch Anora?
Anora is currently still playing in some theaters, and is also available to rent at home.
When and where will Anora be streaming?
As a NEON film, Anora will eventually be streaming on Hulu. No date has been announced as of yet, but we’d guess it will show up on that platform at some point in April.
Which Oscars is Anora nominated for?
Scott Garfitt – Getty Images
Anora is nominated for six Oscars at the 97th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for Mikey Madison), Best Supporting Actor (for Yura Borisov), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing.
Sean Baker himself is nominated for four Oscars—Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing. If he wins all four, he would become the first individual to win four Oscars in one night since Walt Disney achieved the feat in 1954. (Bong Joon Ho accepted four Oscars back in 2020 for Parasite, but since Best International Feature technically is awarded to the country and not the person, he only individually won three Oscars.)
You Might Also Like
