Review of The Florida Project (2017) by Matt D — 22 Oct 2017

Well this was definitely all kinds of perfect.

I love that this lifts the lid off of the perfect shell that we place over Orlando with its sparkling amusements parks and reputation for being ground zero of familial happiness. While thousands of middle and upperclass families are shelling out their disposable income in these fantasy lands, real people are struggling mere blocks away.

And what makes this so much richer is that it's through the eyes of child who is able to constantly make the most of her far from perfect existence by making friends, getting into mischief, and giving unconditional love to her mother who makes more than a few regrettable parenting decisions.

Willem Dafoe is perfect as the worn and weary guardian angel of those who make their home in his hotel, but it was the non-actors that really blew me away with their pure honesty and realism. I'm not sure any of them actually have a long career ahead of them due to a likely lack of range but maybe that's okay. What they've created here with director Sean Baker is a beautiful slice of life that wouldn't have been possible with more classically trained actors.