7 best quotes from Anora

Sean Baker's Anora is all everyone has been talking about after it bagged five wins at the 97th Academy Awards. In the lead is Mikey Madison who plays Anora Mikheeva aka Ani. A 23-year-old stripper from New York City, she is introduced to the son of a Russian oligarch, Vanya, portrayed by Mark Eydelshteyn, by her boss. Ani and Vanya get along really well and he gives her a taste of the luxurious life.

But things take a turn when Vanya convinces Ani to marry him. When his powerful family comes to know about the marriage, they send the family fixer to manage the situation and get Ani out of the picture. Anora's storyline is fairly straightforward but it shines thanks to its realistic take on wealth, power, love and complicated relationships.

The compelling central characters have many great lines throughout the narrative but the ones mentioned on this list leave the most lingering impressions.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinion. Individual opinions may vary.

7 memorable lines from Anora that helped set the tone of the film

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1) "Do you see milk"

Ani Mikheeva says,

"Do you see milk in the fridge?"

In this Anora scene, Ani is fast asleep when her housemate, Vera, portrayed by Ella Rubin, wakes her up to ask whether she picked up milk like she was asked to. Since Ani is in no mood for small talk, she responds with a rhetorical question.

This scene is important because it helps the audience understand Ani's personality better. Mind you, this is not the version of Ani that most of her clients see because at work, she likes to keep it professional. But in the comfort of her own home, she doesn't have to mince her words and Vera certainly takes the brunt of it.

There is no doubt that Madison's Ani makes a strong first impression in Anora and this line is a great example of the same.

2) You don't have cash?"

Ani Mikheeva says,

"You don't have cash? Let's go to the ATM."

In Anora, Ani offers s*xual favours in return for money. After being a part of the industry for a while, she is well aware that the people who come to her looking for these services aren't exactly trustworthy. So whenever clients pretend they don't have any cash on them, she makes it clear that excuse won't work on her with this simple yet effective line.

This line from Anora also cements the fact that Ani is not slow-witted. She understands that people will try to take advantage of her if she gives them the leeway to do so, which is why she is always on her guard. The same is also the case with Vanya when she first meets him but when he convinces her that his feelings are genuine and sincere, she finds herself slipping.

3) "Be exclusive with me"

Vanya Zakharov says,

"Would you want to be exclusive with me?"

In Anora, after Vanya is introduced to Ani, they spend a considerable amount of time together. Eventually, Vanya asks Ani to become exclusive with him for a week. Ani doesn't think too much into it and tells him that he will need to pay her $15,000 upfront. When Vanya agrees without any hesitation, she is mildly surprised but agrees to stay with him.

This Anora line made it apparent that Vanya was becoming enamored by the free-spirited and vivacious Ani. In fact, it was during this time that Ani also started to see Vanya in a new light. It is interesting to note that this monumental Anora dialogue also helped lay the foundation for what happens next - the marriage proposal that beckons the end of their fairytale relationship.

4) "I wouldn't have to go back to Russia"

Vanya Zakharov says,

"If I married an American, I wouldn't have to go back to Russia."

From Ani's perspective, Vanya's life is quite perfect. He can have everything that his heart desires without needing to lift a finger. But when Vanya opens up to Ani, it becomes obvious that despite his family's wealth and connections, he wasn't his happiest when in Russia. In fact, what Vanya really wanted was to live out his life in America where he would have the choice to be more free and content.

This line from Anora also holds importance because it establishes the complicated relationship Vanya has with his parents that becomes further strained after the marriage announcement. It also gives the audience a peek into Vanya's impulsive mindset and helps them understand the key motivator behind the startling proposal which eventually causes Ani much stress and heartache.

5) "You do not know this guy"

Toros says,

"I am telling you, you do not know this guy."

In Anora, the audience can see that Ani is more mature than Vanya. This is hardly surprising as Vanya has had everything handed to him. But this distinction becomes starkly apparent to the heroine only when Karren Karagulian's Toros comes into the scene. As the head fixer for Vanya's family, he makes it clear to Ani that her marriage is not going to last.

When Ani tries to fight for her relationship, Toros hits her with this impactful line. Even though Karagulian's character isn't particularly likable, he wasn't lying about the fact that Ani barely knew anything about Vanya who wasn't telling her the complete truth. This was the first of many red flags that Ani started to see when she started to interact with the goons sent by Vanya's family.

6) "My husband"

Ani Mikheeva says,

"I love my husband."

One of the things that Anora dwells on from the start is the perception people have of s*x workers. Madison's character never forced Vanya to propose to her. He did it out of his own accord and for his own selfish reasons. But that is not how his family sees it. According to them and the goons hired to fix the"problem", Ani is the scheming one looking to make big bucks by trapping a naive 21-year-old.

They all question her feelings time and again, but she confirms that she does indeed love him. This doesn't only show that Ani is more invested in the relationship than Vanya but it also establishes the fact that she had genuinely begun to believe in the fairytale romance that Vanya had promised her when he gave her the ring.

7) "Talk to me"

Ani Mikheeva says,

"Be a f**king man and talk to me."

In a lot of ways, Anora captures the difference between the powerful and the powerless. When Vanya comes across a problem, his first instinct is to leave. But for Ani, it is not the same. She doesn't have people who will take care of problems on her behalf so she has to do all the fighting herself.

Even in the case of their relationship, Ani is the one who stands her ground even when she is faced with intimidating adversaries. Next to her, Vanya looks like a young boy who is simply pretending to be a man without having any idea how to be an adult. This sentiment particularly comes through when Ani utters this line to force Vanya to speak up but he ends up disappointing her, once again.

Viewers who enjoyed watching Anora will agree that the movie thrives on well-written dialogue and these quotes are particularly meaningful.

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