Sean Baker has spoken about some of his influences that went into the melting pot that became the Academy Award-winning Anora. I immediately felt the unbridled kinetic chaos of the Safdie’s Uncut Gems (2019), merged with the obvious plot similarities to Garry Marshall’s Pretty Woman (1990). I also felt that the middle section of Anora, with her capture by the Russians, had a pandemonium similar to the scene where Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare’s hoods kidnap Jean Lundegaard in Joel and Ethan Coen’s Fargo (1996).
After watching Anora and doing my usual deep dive reading about it, post-watch, it was fascinating to hear Baker’s influences, from a range of incredible filmmakers. After watching those, and seeing some clear visual similarities, in addition to aspects of story, character and attitude, I wanted to create a short edit combining the influences Baker spoke of, in combination with ones I felt the film reflected, so more of a ‘vibe’ edit, than pure influences.
Set to The Weeknd’s The Morning, (taken from the club scene in Uncut Gems, where he performs the song live), the lyrics are a suitable conduit to Anora:
All that money, the money is the motive
All that money, the money is the motive
All that money, the money she be foldin'
Girl, put in work, girl, girl, put in work
Girl, put in work, girl, girl, put in work
Girl, put in work
Films featured:
Anora - Sean Baker (2024)
Nights of Cabiria - Federico Fellini (1957)
Le Mépris / Contempt - Jean-Luc Godard (1963)
The French Connection - William Friedkin (1971)
Vampiros Lesbos - Jesús Franco (1971)
Pretty Woman - Garry Marshall (1990)
Uncut Gems - Josh and Benny Safdie (2019)
Fargo - Joel and Ethan Coen (1996)