Review of The Florida Project (2017) by Patricia W — 20 Mar 2018

Set just outside of Disney land, Moonie and her little gang of friends live their day to day lives at a budget hotel known as the 'magic castle,' as her rebellious mother struggles to pay the rent.

Sean Baker has created a slice of life film that you would think was a documentary if it weren't for the great cinematography and long panning shots. The acting and the dialogue is extremely realistic and the film doesn't follow the fast paced Blockbuster trend, rather focussing on the mundane day to day life of people barely making it from one week to the next.

The child actors are excellent in this film and Brooklynn Prince is particularly good as Moonie, a foul mouthed, badly behaved 6 year old whose eyes we view the film through and who seems unaware of the unpleasant situation she's in. Bria Vinaite plays her mother Halley brilliantly, a rude, obnoxious young woman who lives week to week, coming up with increasingly desperate ways of making money to provide for herself and her daughter. Willem Dafoe also gives a great and understated performance as Bobby, the manager of the hotel who although annoyed and frustrated by Moonie and Halley's behaviour is helpful and somewhat protective of them.

This film is a very slow burn with the first big event taking place 45mins in so it may not be everyone's cup of tea. But once you get to know the characters the pace starts to pick up and as unpleasant as some of them may be, you start to sympathise with them for the miserable situation they're in. The juxtaposition of the vibrant colours of the motels and the set pieces to the increasingly depressing lives of the occupants is also very clear and certainly sheds a light on people living on the poverty line so close to 'the happiest place on earth.'.

The biggest downside for me was the ending. In the third act the film is slowly building up to an event and its lack of a conclusion was a little unsatisfying and rushed for me although I can understand its symbolic significance. However it didn't bother me as much as some other reviewers.

Overall this is a well told story about people that we don't often see on the big screen and looks a cycle of poverty in the shadow of great wealth and extravagance that I would certainly recommend watching.