Anora is a resonant, thought-provoking satire of modern relationships. I interpret it as an endgame case of the transactional approach to romance: Ivan, a young man of boundless wealth, marries Ani, his sexy escort, forging the shallowest marriage imaginable: neither has anything to offer the other beyond surface appeals. As Ivan’s handlers scramble to undo the misguided pairing, the ugly qualities of both newlyweds surge to the forefront—a fast-forwarded version, perhaps, of what would have, in less dramatic circumstances, gradually devolved into Real Housewives-type turmoil. Some may find such a story difficult to love, since none of the main characters appear capable of that emotion: Ivan and his family are evil menaces, and Ani is a gold digger, plain and simple. But wait. After Ivan returns to Russia, too ensconced by riches to learn any real lessons, Ani, forced by her humble situation to confront the events, reaches a different final note as the credits roll to the sound of windshield wipers—wiping away, perhaps, her old self, her old identity, clearing the way, as all great stories do, for someone new.
–Jim Andersen