Love, chaos, and bad decisions— movies like Anora throws you into a whirlwind where nothing works out as expected, and that is exactly why it is so damn good! Starring Chloe Sevigny, Mikey Madison, and Kieran Culkin, this Oscar-winning wild ride follows a Brooklyn stripper who falls head over heels into a high-stakes romance with a Russian heir. But in true Sean Baker style, things spiral fast, mixing sharp humor with raw, unapologetic drama. It is messy, it is real, and it is very entertaining. 

Now, what if you are still craving that same unpredictable rush? The kind that keeps you on edge, has you laughing at the worst times, and punches you in the gut when you least expect it? That is where this list comes in! Be it the intense tension of Uncut Gems, the heartbreak of Blue Valentine, or the unconventional love story of Pretty Woman, these 13 must-watch movies pack that same Anora punch, keeping you hooked!

If you loved Anora, you are in for a treat. Here’s a list of 13 films that share similar themes, captivating stories, or atmospheric tones, ensuring your next movie night is just as thrilling.

Glittering Vegas meets cold-blooded ambition in Showgirls, where Elizabeth Berkley's Nomi Malone stops at nothing to become a star. Much like Anora, the film drops its star into a world of power, money, and s-- colliding, in which she has to fight to maintain control of her own life. While Showgirls turns up the heat with excessive spectacle, both movies strip away the glamor illusion, revealing how survival often involves crossing lines—too far, in some cases.

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A hot romance, stolen drugs, and a terrifying car chase—True Romance offers a dynamite love story with a sinister twist. Like Anora, it is the story of a fearless, streetwise woman caught in a world in which every choice has consequences. Patricia Arquette's Alabama and Anora both jump headfirst into love, working through crime, power, and survival with both grit and charm. While True Romance leans into pulpy action, Anora’s Oscar win came from its raw, unapologetic, and unfiltered realism.

Life, love, and identity are the focus in The Worst Person in the World, as Julie, played by Renate Reinsve, goes through relationships and career decisions with no clue about what she wants to be. As with Anora, this movie gives you a real, unedited look at young womanhood as she stumbles through adulthood, making impulsive choices. Both movies capture that restless hum of searching for meaning but never finding it. If you adored Anora for how real it felt, this glorious, messy ride will hit just as hard!

Spring Breakers feels like Anora’s wilder cousin. It follows four college girls who swap textbooks for crime and end up in the clutches of a charming but dangerous gangster. Much like Anora, it explores how teenage rebellion can spiral into life-altering chaos. The hypnotic visuals and thumping soundtrack contrast with the film’s darker themes, just like Anora disguises its raw, gut-punching story under layers of humor and shock. If you were hooked to Anora’s mix of recklessness, survival, and heartbreak, this one is a must-watch—it is wild, weird, and impossible to look away from!

What if Anora had a crew? Hustlers answers that question with stilettos, strategy, and a whole lot of attitude. Inspired by a true story, this thrilling crime drama follows a group of savvy strippers—led by Jennifer Lopez’s fierce and calculating Ramona, flipping the script on Wall Street and scamming their way to financial freedom. But beneath the glitz and cash showers, Hustlers is a story about survival, friendship, and the blurred lines between empowerment and exploitation.

While Anora tackles personal survival in a harsh world, Hustlers takes that struggle to a whole new level—with a team. It is the same raw and unapologetic energy, only with more sequins, attitude, and an irresistible mix of glamour and grit.

Pretty Woman is like Anora in an alternate, fairy-tale universe - one where luck, love, and luxury take center stage. Julia Roberts plays a s-- worker who gets a billionaire makeover, but unlike Anora, this tale leans more into romance and fantasy rather than raw survival. Still, both films explore the societal gaze on women who sell companionship and the unexpected ways love can creep into their lives. 

While Vivian’s journey is softened by romance and fairy-tale charm, Anora’s world is a harsher, more unforgiving place. But at their core, both movies are about women finding their way through survival, self-respect, and the messy crossroads of love and money. Pretty Woman may wrap its themes in glitz and charm, but both films ask the same question—can love truly rewrite the rules of the world they live in?

American Honey almost exists in the same universe as Anora—a restless, road-tripping search for youth, danger, and the hunger for more. Sasha Lane’s character is part of a misfit crew of magazine hawkers, leaping headfirst into the American dream. Like Anora, it lives on raw performances, stunning cinematography, and that intense feeling of being just one bad decision away from disaster. It is messy, emotional, and hypnotizing, much like the chaotic journey of Anora herself.  

In The Florida Project, Sean Baker here returns to exploring the lives of society's misfits, here through the mischievous eyes of six-year-old Moonee. She and her young, thieving mother Halley scrape along in a crumbling old motel just a stone’s throw from Disney World—so close to the dream, yet impossibly out of reach.

Like Anora, it is about survival in the margins of riches, where big dreams clash with harsh realities. But instead of stripping things down to raw grit, The Florida Project bursts with color, humor, and childlike wonder. And then there is Willem Dafoe, who steals every scene with subtle charm, bringing heart and grit in equal amounts!

Zola could easily be Anora’s chaotic social media twin. Inspired by a viral X thread, it follows a st------'s disastrous road trip. Similar to Anora, it throws its lead into volatile, life-or-death scenarios, forcing her to act quickly or risk losing everything.  The film’s unique storytelling, raw humor, and dark intensity make it feel like an online fever dream—one that Anora herself might have tweeted about if she had time between all the madness!  

Shot entirely on an iPhone, Tangerine delivers the same raw, street-level realism that makes Anora so gripping. Directed by Sean Baker, the film follows Sin-Dee Rella, a transgender s-- worker, as she storms through the streets of Los Angeles on Christmas Eve, in search of the pimp who double-crossed her. With its energetic vibe, neon-lit streets, and rapid-fire dialogue, Tangerine brings comedy, heartbreak, and unfiltered reality into a film that feels as alive as its characters.

Like Anora, this story refuses to sugarcoat the reality of their characters, presenting the struggles and wins of women fighting for control in a society that often refuses to make room for them. And just like Anora’s journey through Brooklyn, Sin-Dee’s relentless quest for control over her own life makes for an exciting, emotionally charged journey.

If Anora had a wild, fast-talking twin brother, it would be Robert Pattinson’s character in Good Time. This anxiety-fueled thriller throws you headfirst into a single chaotic night of Connie, a street-smart hustler who scrambles through the darker side of New York, trying to free his brother from jail. Each second is heavy with tension, every bad decision-making things worse, and just like Anora, it is a heart-pounding experience where survival is about thinking fast on your feet and running faster.

Good Time trades Anora’s emotional depth for sheer adrenaline, but both narratives live off the same thing—characters who refuse to go out without a fight. If you enjoyed Anora’s unfiltered chaos and street toughness, Good Time will keep your pulse racing from start to finish without slowing down!

If Anora got you sweating with suspense, Uncut Gems will leave you gasping for air. Adam Sandler plays a reckless jeweler taking one bad risk after another, leading to a high-stakes, nerve-wracking ride. Like Anora, it refuses to slow down, sweeping you into its storm of desperation and drive. Both films show that survival is not always a matter of toughness—it is about making it through the next five minutes before everything collapses.

If Anora were set in the 80s, one with an added dash of crazy, then it would be After Hours. This Martin Scorsese classic follows a man who, after a night out, gets swept up into a terrible, building nightmare. Like Anora, it follows the speed with which life spirals out of control and flings its lead character into odd, uncharted situations. Darkly humorous, unsettling, and executed, it is a perfect match to the intensity and chaos of Anora.

Wild nights, messy love, and choices that spiral fast, these movies like Anora are proof that the best stories do not play it safe! Whether it is Robert Pattinson fleeing from disaster in Good Time, the late-night classic of Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, or the heart-wrenching realness of Before Midnight with Ethan Hawke every film on this list keeps things raw, unpredictable, pushing you to the edge! They will have you sweating, tearing up and questioning everything, just like Anora!

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Which of these movies, like Anora, had you glued to the screen? Did we miss one that deserves a spot? Drop your favorites in the comments below!