Sean Baker’s latest cinematic offering, “Anora,” has taken the film world by storm, clinching the coveted Palma d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival – and for good reason. This audacious feature turns the classic Pretty Woman narrative on its head, delivering a refreshingly original and uproariously funny take on the romantic comedy genre.

At the heart of this unconventional tale is Anora, a strip club dancer whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets the son of a Russian billionaire. What begins as a week-long arrangement blossoms into a marriage proposal, setting the stage for a familial uproar that defies all expectations.

Baker, known for his distinctive directorial style, masterfully crafts a film that seems to revel in breaking every rule in the cinematic playbook. “Anora” gleefully disregards traditional script structures, creating scenes that feel almost accidentally brilliant in their naturalism. Yet, despite – or perhaps because of – this apparent randomness,...