Inventing Anna

Based on the real story of fraudster Anna Sorokin, Inventing Anna follows the efforts of journalist Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky) as she attempts to understand why and how Anna (Julia Garner) pulled off such an elaborate fraud. Vivian (who is loosely based on real-life journalist Jessica Pressler) wants to tackle a story with “teeth” after losing a job at Bloomberg, and builds something of a rapport with the fraudster as more layers of the con are revealed.

Each episode focuses on a different pawn in Sorokin’s elaborate game – from her “tech-bro” ex-boyfriend to New York elite to the friends she makes via her escapades. The storytelling device of Vivian’s interviews allows instalments to have their own distinct narrative and visual identity, with the persona of Anna changing with the person to whom tells her varied story. The episodes are all on the long side, with many being more than an hour, and while sometimes the series drags its feet, it still manages to have some fun character studies to compensate for the pacing issues.

Despite the title of the show, Inventing Anna doesn’t particularly focus on the invention of Anna Delvey, instead focusing on her impact on the ensemble cast. This allows the piece to tackle social issues such as misogyny, the class divide and the inherent flaws of capitalism. While it does feel like the story is missing its teeth in these explorations, they don’t overstay their welcome and do their job well enough without being patronising.

Anna is the main focus of the show, but its true protagonist is Vivian, and her struggles (ranging from dealing with Anna’s complicated story, her attempts to salvage her journalistic reputation and her pregnancy) all make for decently compelling if slightly clichéd television. Chlumsky does a great job representing the character, injecting her scenes with energy and pathos and helping pick the script up where it falters. Garner is an effective counterpart as Anna, even with a clunky accent, and the two main characters have some great chemistry, feeding into each other’s arcs well. 

Overall, Inventing Anna isn’t going to blow any minds, and, much like its titular protagonist, hides much of its structural and narrative deficiencies behind a veneer of style and glamour. Despite this, it’s an enjoyable enough experience, providing entertaining character work along with social commentary and good humour.

Umar Ali

Inventing Anna is released on Netflix on 11^th February 2022.

Watch the trailer for Inventing Anna here: