Florida Project (a movie review)

You let her just run away, and I'm the one who's unfit?

As spring break came to a close, I watched "The Florida Project" for the first time. This was the second Sean Baker movie I’ve seen. The Floridian energy suited well with the warm and humid weather I was experiencing in the city at the time.

I recall having a dream where I had a baby and had lost them somewhere on a roadtrip and I couldn’t forgive myself for doing so. It was a grief so immense I woke up to tear-stained cheeks in what felt like a parellel universe. Although I can't relate in a physical or a literal sense, I would say I could put myself in a position to spiritually relate to a mother.

Screencap from The Florida Project

In the movie, Moonee, a six-year old girl, and her single mother Halley, both live in a budget motel near Walt Disney World. Moonee is friends with a little boy named Scooty who is the son of Halley's friend. Halley struggles to make up her rent from selling perfumes to escorting after losing her job. Moonee befriends another girl, Jancey, her age at a different motel on the same street called. Later on, Halley has a falling out with her best friend Ashley and the plot starts to gradually thicken ("gradually" might be a bit generous).

Screencap from The Florida Project

The camerawork in which Moonee and her friends run around the isolated streets very much protrays the magic of childhood and how important those bonds are no matter the circumstances they live in. The joy and rebellion Moonee delivers leaves me so speechless and moved I can't help but think about the strenght she has. It's also lovely to see her and Jancey's relationship build more and more throughout the movie that felt so raw. It's quite the opposite experience with Halley and Ashley as their relationship depletes. The pouring rain in one of the scenes was such a perfect touch to encapsulate the melting away and brushing away the light of the trust they had in each other. It was also so heartwarming to see Willem Dafoe playing Bobby, a hardworking motel manager, shooing away a group of herons.

From the camerawork, to the childacting, to the casting, The Florida Project is a film to watch (and bring some tissues just in case). The pastel color palette adds to the child wonder and joy being portrayed although the viewer can see the immense struggle in the adults. Sean Baker really had me glued to my seat with this one.

In related news, I’m working on a play called Ironbound written by Martyna Majok and directed by my dear friend Olivia Rog about a Polish immigrant woman working intense jobs just to get by alone in New Jersey. This causes her to be dependent on other men to save money and care for her runaway son. Similarly to the movie, it is art that deals with financial struggle and motherhood. (For those interested in attending: Our show opens on 4/29 and runs for two days). Stay tuned for more blogs.