Anora

Anoradominated the 2025 award season and astounded general audience , all while drawing inevitable comparing to a rom - com classic , despite the drastically different endings . Mikey Madison delivers her Oscar - winning performanceas Ani , a sex actor face life headway - on when she meets Ivan ( Mark Eydelshteyn ) , the son of a Russian oligarch , who engage her to be his lady friend for a week before impetuously proposing to her . Ani seems to have unfeigned fondness for Vanya and is well-chosen to play out this Cinderella story , but the painting is shatter when her would - be - in - laws step in to end the man and wife .

Ani is paid off and get off wadding , with only the family ’s lease bridge player Igor ( Yura Borisov ) showing any sympathyfor what has happened to her . Anora ’s endingis a heartbreaking one , with an astounding final scene that interrupt the tone of the rest of the movie and illustrates the material trauma of the issue depicted . Anorais a deconstruction of the Cinderella write up and a harsh portraying of the dynamics between the ultra - affluent and those in profession they view as beneath them , setting up an interesting sermon on how a different comedy show up these things 35 years ago .

Anora’s Comparisons To Pretty Woman Explained

Anora & Pretty Women Are Both About Women Working As Escorts, Getting Into Messy Relationships With Their Clients

In 1990 , Julia Roberts see a calling - defining role starring alongside Richard Gere in Garry Marshall ’s romantic comedyPretty Woman . The moving picture follows Vivian , a prostitute who hits it off with plenteous businessman Edward when he pay her to impersonate as his girlfriend at some social events . The distich endeavor to keep things emotion - barren and professional but are confront with literal mature tactual sensation while being hit hard by the way masses in Edward ’s mellow - class globe cover Vivian , which is rude at good and violent at worst . The flavour - sound tone is facilitated by the endearing performances of Roberts and Gere , and their potent chemistry .

The similarities toAnoraare obvious , as Ani also on the face of it strikes gold with a favorable client , with whom she has instant chemical science and a carefree , fun time . BothAnoraand PrettyWomanoffer line drawing of the discrimination sex workersface in " respectable " fellowship and the profound baron instability between them and a partner who initially paid for their company and would provide everything for the foreseeable future of their family relationship . However , Pretty Womanprops up the narrative that Ani wants to believe , of this all being a matter of fate and erotic love that lead to a happy ending .

Anora’s Dark Ending Is Closer To Pretty Woman’s Original Ending

Pretty Woman Originally Would Have Ended With Edward Cruelly Casting Vivian Aside

Pretty Woman ’s endingsees Edward and Vivian casting aside the problems of their relationship and the rest of society to be together . However , the original ending , as reveal by Netflix’sThe Movies That Made Us , would have been Edward throw Vivian out on the street with $ 3,000 to pay for her service , after which she takes a friend to Disneyland with the money . Ironically , this end nod to the futuremovies of Sean Baker , which utilize root Mungo Park as a motif symbolizing sour dreams and bodied avaritia , as discover inAnora ’s Disneyworld commentandThe Florida Project ’s ending .

Anora ’s great persona and circumstances feel very veridical , and director Sean Baker has given insight into where the movie ’s stirring came from .

Pretty Woman ’s closing was change in part because the on - screen interpersonal chemistry of the lead actors send the floor in a different way . Anora ’s termination , however , is almost whatPretty Woman ’s could have been . Ani is n’t literally flip out on the street , but she is savagely rejected by her husband ’s mob , Vanya refuse to abide up for her , she is given some money for her cooperation and troubles and ship back to her common life . However , it is safe to say thatAnora ’s conclusion is far more haunting and impactful , prove the ultimate way to drive home the theme it partake in withPretty adult female .

Anora Official Poster

Anora Is Much Better By Avoiding A Happy Ending

Anora Tells A Real, Tragic Story Of Class Divide

Pretty Womanwas a striking and is a classic and does talk to some uplifting content about neglect smart set ’s inequitable rule , dismissing cruel the great unwashed , and prioritizing dear and connection . However , Anoraillustrates that ifPretty Womanreally wanted to collar the social prospect of its report , an distressed ending would have been the better way to go . Anoranow offers us this , with the final picture being Ani lastly lose equanimity and breaking down in Igor ’s armsafter all her loss and heartbreak .

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RT Critics ' Score

Ivan (Mark Eidelshtein) and Ani (Mikey Madison) embrace while gambling in Las Vegas in ANORA

Image via NEON

RT Audience Score

Metacritic Score

Oscar Nominations

Actress Mikey Madison as Ani in Anora.

Anora’s life takes a dramatic twist when she impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, catapulting her from the streets of Brooklyn to a world of opulence and scrutiny. As her new in-laws arrive with plans to dismantle the hasty union, Anora must navigate the cultural and social chasms between her past and her present. The film, directed by Sean Baker, masterfully blends sharp social commentary with heartfelt drama, painting a vivid picture of love, identity, and the unexpected consequences of a fairytale gone awry.

Pretty Woman(1990 )

64 %

68 %

Close-up of Mikey Madison’s face from the ending of Anora

51 %

One ( Best Lead Actress )

Anora(2024 )

Headshot Of Mikey Madison

93 %

85 %

91 %

Headshot Of Mark Eydelshteyn

Six ( Best Picture , Best Director , Best Lead Actress , Best Supporting Actor , Best Original Screenplay , Best redaction )

Anora ’s take on the Cinderella story is sadly , more naturalistic , showing how Ivan ’s prerogative has fostered his carelessness , where he furrow after a effective prison term with no vexation for how it will smart multitude like Ani . All the people surround him treat Ani like she is nothing , just a byproduct of his bad behavior that take to be dealt with . It would be nice to converge an Edward , but he is ultimately more the contemporary Prince Charming who is deep fictionalise . The end ofAnoraunderscores the flaws of all its lineament , who serve a level about the hurt done to real mass .

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Anora ’s life takes a dramatic twist when she impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch , sling her from the streets of Brooklyn to a world of opulence and scrutiny . As her new in - laws arrive with plans to dismantle the hasty unification , Anora must navigate the ethnic and social chasms between her past and her present . The moving picture , directed by Sean Baker , masterfully blends sharp social commentary with heartfelt dramatic event , paint a brilliant picture of love , identity , and the unexpected consequences of a fairytale gone awry .

Directed by Gary Marshall , Pretty Woman stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere as Vivian Ward and Edward Lewis . Lewis is a moneyed New York man of affairs who lease Hollywood sex worker Ward to accompany him during his halt in Los Angeles . ab initio mistrustful of each other , the couple ’s relationship grow steadily deeper over Lewis ' hitch , causing Ward to begin to rethink her career itinerary .

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Directed by Gary Marshall, Pretty Woman stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere as Vivian Ward and Edward Lewis. Lewis is a wealthy New York businessman who hires Hollywood sex worker Ward to accompany him during his stay in Los Angeles. Initially wary of each other, the couple’s relationship grows steadily deeper over Lewis' stay, causing Ward to begin to rethink her career path.

Headshot of Richard Gere

Headshot Of Julia Roberts in the Los Angeles Premiere Of ‘Ticket To Paradise'

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Anora

Pretty Woman