The Florida Project
Follows the life of Moonee, a six year old girl who lives with her stripper mother Halley, in the Magic Castle Motel near Disney World in Florida.
Moonee is also friends with Scooty the son of Ashley – Halley’s friend. While Ashley works, Halley is supposed to watch the children but is too absorbed in her own life – so the children go unsupervised and run amok around the Hotel, and the surrounding hotels.
Bobby, the Motel manager has a soft spot for the family and helps them where he can.
Direction
One of Sean Baker’s pre-Anora films, is quite frankly better than what was to come.
It is very simple direction, with at times (confirmed by the director) filmed on smart phone. The low budget, was hampered by the constant flying helicopters by a nearby business – that was unable to be shut down – however this is cleverly added to the screenplay at times.
The motel colours are almost a character in itself, with the magic castle having deep purple colours, are quite pretty.
I loved the framing of some shots, and the give a —– look, which is quite pretty.
Cast/Characters
Willem Dafoe is the only ‘named’ actor within the cast, and he gives a nuance performance. while he is frustrated by some aspects of his job (Halley being a troublesome tenant), and the constant criticism from his boss the hotel owner. He is both caretaker for the hotel as an object, and those who live there as a ‘father figure’
He does however have a soft spot for the kids who live in and around his hotel. Namely Moonee, who he becomes an ‘alternate parent’ as her own wont parent. He protects her from her mother, and in one instance a stranger who comes oddly close one day.
The unknown cast include Bria Vinaite as Halley – who would rather turn tricks, both in the bedroom, and in fake business to earn a dollar than truly parent her child. She is neither sympathetic, or empathetic – which shows just how well written and performed her role was.
The MVP goes to Brooklynn Prince as Mooney – who is simply adorable as the six year old, who has six year old thoughts and questions. Her breakdown in the finale few moments of the film are heartbreaking, and is what gives this film the score it does.
Baker regular Karren Kargulian plays the hotel owner in a few small scenes, and Caleb Landry Jones (Nitram) plays Bobby’s son in a couple of scenes.
Screenplay/Setting/Themes
The narrative is quite simple, and it has a non conventional way to it, with no real act one, two and three. The film simply follows the lives of Halley and Moonee, and Moonee’s friends Scooty during a summer holiday at the hotel.
There is no real main POV, with different moments of the film focusing on one of the three key characters.
As per usual Baker, screenplay it has a multi lingual —- to it, with this film focusing on the Spanish speaking natives of Florida.
Baker excels in showing how certain minorities live, and he does again here. This time in showing how the lower social economic class live, with Hallee doing everything she thinks she can do to keep money in her pockets. Buying cheap perfume wholesale, and then selling on the streets, and self prostitution.
One nitpick I did have was Bobby inserting himself into some oft he more serious matters into the film, when police/care workers are present.
Overall
Quite a lovely film, with some heavy subject matter. Dafoe gives a solid performance, and is one of his most tender films that I have seen him in. He garnered an Academy Award nomination for his efforts, and rightly so.
If you are a fan of Anora, give this a watch, because Baker shows his abilities behind the camera better here than he does in the film he won for.
4.5/5
If you’re able to, please “buy me a coffee”