Comparing Anora to a Bad Bunny Song

Anora x Andrea

Amid the accoladed run of one of the best movie’s of the year, along with the arrival of the best hispanic artist’s new album. I couldn’t help but to deep dive in both of these works/artists to find a moving connection between the two - believe or not. This article aims to distinct the similarities between Bad Bunny’s Andrea, from ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ (2022); and Sean Baker’s Anora 2024, in order to analyze how: through the mastery of their form, they shine light on our protagonists unfairly deceiving and dangerous day to day. Insisting that what they’re looking for, should and must be solely implied; love, liberty, and understanding.

To those who haven’t watched Anora:

Anora tells the story of Annie, a lonely Russian-American sex worker from Brooklyn, New York, that finds herself entangled with one of her clients, Vanya, the son of a Russian Oligarch, who buys her companionship - and services - while his temporary stay in the States. Throughout both youngsters develop a purely artificial connection that leads to Vanya taking advantage of Annie’s feelings to marry her for a green-card. Annie, allured by Vanya’s pink-like-world; charming personality, house, money and the overall ecstasy of emotion, agrees, as she puts down her defensive shield, throwing her life away, intoxicated by the superfluous.

Annie’s fairytale seems to be perfect until Vanya’s parents hear about the marriage.Within only a few hours, her new world is crushed by chaos as her husband’s parents are on their way to pick him up, and then, get an annulment for their marriage. Throughout the conundrum Vanya runs off leaving Annie helpless, as three unknown, big-grown-men, take control of the situation (Vanya’s guardians), but not of Annie, whom fearful, and desperate for clarity beats them all up. As they look for Vanya, Annie is hopeful about the veracity of their relationship - when in reality: it only goes one way.

When they finally find him at Annie’s ex-strip club, in a private, heavily under the influence, and with her archenemy; Crystal. Despite betrayal, Annie tries to talk to him and remind him of them. But he’s out, fully unconscious, careless, and high. It’s not until the next morning that she’s faced with reality, as Vanya, cowardly and rudely dismisses their relationship completely. However, his parents go as far as to demean Annie as a woman and individual. She stands helpless, against their unlimited wealth, money, and arrogance. She’s spit back into her lonely, crude world, with an extra ten thousand dollars for the green-card arrangement, and a broken heart. Like nothing had happened, she only threw her life away.

Un Verano Sin Ti presents Andrea, surrounding the story of a Puerto-Rican woman struggling upon the standards, judgements, dangers, and hypocrisy found within the latin American way of living. And how she’s been forced to developed a strong defensive and confrontational character similar to Anora’s in order to protect her feminine integrity under today’s societal standards. Nevertheless, and once again, in similitude to Anora; Andrea, talks about the effects and scars left by opening up, the consequences of her bad decisions, along with the gossip, the work, the danger within a patriarchal ran community and the judgement that comes with it. When is as simple as for asking to be and letting one be; yet the outer voices oblige her to challenge… “No quiero que nadie me diga lo que tengo que hacer” “Que digan lo que sea” “Quiero que alguien se atreva y me entienda a mi”. Translates to: “No one should tell me what to do.” “They can say whatever they want” “I want someone to dare, and understand me”.

To my English speaking friends, here is the link to the translated lyrics of Andrea

(You don’t have to read it in order to understand and follow through the article as the similarities will be directly referenced further on. Adding it for clarity for those who would like to listen to the song for better context and still follow through).

Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio; aka Bad Bunny, Puerto Rican Artist, Icon, Actor, Writer, and Producer has become the largest growing hispanic artist in the world. Taking his EP ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ to the top by making it the most streamed album in the history of Spotify. Benito has been at it since 2016, mainly in the genres of Trap and Reggaeton; which emerged in the 80s but seized its true rhythmic awakening upon the second decade of the new millennium. Since, Benito has given a space to representation, particularly to women, in songs like the iconic solo from his debut EP “Solo de Mi”; as well as for “Yo Perreo Sola” in ‘YHLQMDLG’, insisting on the sovereignty women deserve, have, and should impose, if placed in question. His tunes stand as symbolic emblems of the confidence that women have and deserve to rule far beyond the dance floor, making them anthems, emblems of strength, from PR’ to the whole world.

In Andrea, Benito, goes beyond his renown trap-verse, and bombastic reggaeton tunes that have characterized him by mixing the two together. With the great collaboration of ‘Buscabella’ he elevates this record to something else.

Meanwhile, born in California, Los Angeles, filmmaker Sean Baker, has taken the task of representation to another level, focusing his career on representing those who are marginalized, and placed aside from society just because of who they are, where they come from, or where they work at. The way he looks at it is “Say I hear about and issue, or perhaps I look at my hometown in Los Angeles and see, ‘oh this area is under-represented, or this group is under-represented, I want to know more’. And so through the process of me writing, directing, and editing the film, I learn about the project” (Sean Baker on Screenwriting & Directing, for BAFTA Guru, 2017).

The essence of his films concentrates in the authenticity behind them. His early-on güerrilla filmmaking has given him the necessary tools and experience to master the run & gun style of production; while also introducing him to the world his characters actually experience. In the process he observes, learns, and questions the community that surrounds him, “There's also the opportunity I get to collaborate with them from a consultant level. If they're from a community or a location that I'm not from, as a Screenwriter, I'm not precious about anything that I've written about this world. They know it better than I do. So I'll say (to the non-actors) 'Hey does this line work? Would anyone in Texas City ever say this? (referring to his film, Red Rocket 2021) And if not, what would they say?’ And I have a lot of this conversations, which is great, because it brings a lot of colours to the film” (Sean Baker, Gold Derby, 2021).

With all of this experience behind his back I can only imagine the amount of research that went into Anora. The crudeness that so subtly underlies the comedy was masterful precisely because of Baker’s full awareness surrounding the world Annie is from. His fast-paced modern editing style mixed with his Italian Neo-realist influences, Baker produced a charmingly entertaining, bluntly dark Cinderella story that explores the tip of a very obscure ravine within our society.

While their both very different artist, their reach and impact upon our generation is more vivid than ever. Palpable in the excitement his songs evoke at parties, concerts, events; palpable in the euphoric reactions and fanbase Anora has created, giving oxygen to his past films that are just as impactful, truthful, and contemporary to the world we’re living in. We are fortunate to live in the same times as these artists. Now, let's analyze the similarities between their works.

The Similarities

My first theatre experience for Anora was fantastic, a great movie, I laughed, smile, saddened, and even cried, but the laughter was there almost all the way, until the end. As soon as I left the theatre my head was driven to Benito’s Andrea. I heard it on the way back home. At first it didn’t make sense geographically, semantically, literally… So what was it? The second time I watched the film it made sense. The mastery of Sean Baker was seen on his ability to disguise such a heart-reckoning truth through solid dark comedy that ends up tearing the mask that conceals the underlying message, and wow. The execution and the message are genuine, truthful, and sincere. The pinnacle of art, for me personally, and why it just might be the best movie of the year.

It was a similar experience for Andrea, when ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ came out. The album is close-to-perfect, every Bad Bunny fan will tell you. As you listened to the energetic, summer-ambiance, rhythmic and euphoric tunes from the record, Andrea’s lyrics/meaning came unnoticed. The first time I listened to it I found myself vibing to it, similar to ‘Otro Atardecer’, the song was immaculate, like nothing I had ever heard before; at least from The evil rabbit himself. Low bass, rhythmic, smooth, yet energetic. Benito emphasizes with his characteristic trap execution of the lyrics, but he keeps it mellow, respectful, confusing… until you realize it’s a story. That’s the moment I hit rewind, and the vibes were no-more. My approach to the song turned into sorrow and admiration. Indeed, the song became an anthem. Just like Anora will. Why?

Through research, interpretation, and analysis I personally found that is how both pieces fiercely depict a fighter woman, a woman that perhaps has a name, but not a last name. It’s the story of many women who are continuously fighting; for understanding, for love, and for liberty outside the stigmas, preconceived notions, and parameters society has imposed on them, and tricked them - and us - to believe; which aren’t necessarily true.

Andrea’s lyrics talks about what is said, what is seen, juxtaposed to what happens, what is true. The hustle to pay rent, to survive every day, to be judged for how you dress, and how that directly affects the future, as you have to defend yourself and build a character-proof persona for the hazards that come with life as a woman (the song directly refers to the life in Puerto-Rico) that then leads to judging and scrutiny, inevitably affecting your personality and therefore your work, those who you love, and those who love you, but particularly those who hate you. I found all of this in Anora, visually, through subtext, and the direct plot. Meanwhile; Andrea’s lyrics says “She fucks well, it is said.. And even if she's seen going out all week, she doesn't look happy, no…Bad stuff is always known and what's good is never told… Hustling herself to pay rent, crying more than what it is worth…, she doesn't want a flower, just to not wither…To not get whistled at when she goes out to buy bread…To not be asked what she did yesterday…And to be invited to a nice future…To be given respect and for it to never be taken away”

This lyrics brings me to think about one of the first scenes, showing Annie’s regular shift at the club, dressed up, working, hustling, as she’s judged even by her own customers, who are ironically forming part of the act as well. The lights, the music, the superfluous glamour, the overall environment is broken as we smash cut to Annie returning home, almost indistinguishable as she wears her winter-comfy clothes, no make-up, no enthusiasm, no glamour whatsoever, as she transits back to her place; exhausted, scarred, from every single interaction.

We only get a breeze at Annie’s personal life when she’s woken up by her roommate asking her if she had brought the milk — I suppose they needed; yet, Annie, hostile replies: “Do you see any milk in the fridge?” ‘No’ “Then I didn’t buy the fucking milk”. She’s twenty-four, living out in the city, without her parents. That’s fine, she’s a grown up, but Mr. Baker deliberately reserves her family background and personal life, other than a brief comment about her sister, her mother and her boyfriend, while talking with Vanya. And at the beginning in the club Vanya asks her about her background, where we quickly hear about how she learned Russian through her grandmother. No mention of a father figure. The absence of her family and friends throughout the film, hints at the type of upbringing she might’ve had as well as for the present she’s living, and how perhaps she fell into the sex-working industry as many other young-women did. It also tells us about her manners, her hostility, education, and defensiveness. She’s quick on her feat. Similarly to Andrea whom is described with an alike defiant personality “The good way: a kiss and a hug… The bad way: hitting with a bottle without dropping the glass”. “They talk shit and I find it funny, funny… I keep chasing my dream and looking for money”.

Through the character of Igor, in Anora, we see ourselves, as Igor grows compassion and understanding for Annie. He cares for her, just how he understands the unfairness of the situation, a situation he was involuntarily and unknowingly placed in. As the movie progresses Igor tries to show Annie he’s sorry, and that he means no harm. All throughout continues to show slight gestures of care that are quickly - and very rudely - dismissed by Annie, who is scared, vulnerable, and inherently incapable of receiving any form of genuine care because of her traumas, created by her upbringings and presence in the sex-working industry. Everything and everyone has been mean to her. Every form of love has not only been fake, but purely transactional, essentially destroying her humanity and femininity in the cruelest way possible.

The most powerful scene - personally - is the scene leading to the end when Igor reminds her of her name, and the meaning behind it; 'bright’. Not only she doesn’t care, she has fully buried it within her consciousness. That goes to show how deeply hurt she is by a world that not only has refused to love her; but took her capacity to receive any love from it. The ultimate crime against humanity.

The conclusion of each piece is for all of us to reflect upon. The sad truth is that while they’re upbringing failed them, they’re not to blame, nor they’re guilty; they’re women, humans. And it doesn’t matter where they came from, where they’re from, how they dress, or what they’re like; they deserve love, respect, and absolute liberty. Now, while the message of both pieces may be different, they aim at the same target: representation. Both artists raising awareness, using their own microphone to show the truth these women - and many more - are continuously facing through their art form. Which for me is, the pinnacle of artistry, done in its purest form. Let’s be grateful for our coexistence with these great artists, while continuing to appreciate their art and their medium.

Written by Tonino

*This article is posted with learning purposes only. Written by an eagerly passionate film student in the pursuit of growth and knowledge within the critique world in order to better understand motion pictures. Every critique is constructive and appreciated.*