Review of The Florida Project (2017) by Kevin M — 31 Oct 2017

The reviews that had been culminating over the past month for The Florida Project commanded my attention. That and the colorful, youthful, friendly poster. The Florida Project is about childhood, and childhood is not always clear skies and rainbows like it's poster suggests.

Moonee (played by Brooklynn Prince) is a 6-year-old girl living in a run down motel with her very young mother Halley (played by Bria Vinaite). Moonee and her friends run loose and stir up trouble left and right, only to be thwarted by the hotel manager Bobby (played by Willem Dafoe).

Bobby casts a paternal shadow over the hotel, particularly on Halley and and Moonee. Dafoe is one of the few recognizable actors in this film, and he's true to the character and his desire to give the love he has to his guests.

Director Sean Baker found Bria Vinaite on Instagram, and her performance is seemingly flawless. After further research, she's a natural fit for this character based on the lifestyle she displays on her Instagram pictures.

This choice in casting is one of the key elements that will make the film a huge success come awards season, largely because Vinaite draws such a thin line between a character and a real person. This is an Oscar-worthy performance and easily one of the best so far this year.

.. but the lifeline of this film is Brooklynn Prince as Moonee. Nothing will prepare you for the finale, where all emotions converge into one single take that is so hard-hitting, it'll turn you inside out.

Prince is ignorant of the camera and crew; only her, the actors, and the motel are real. This is the most impressive performance ever given by a child captured on film, and it will turn you inside out.

She's a natural born talent, and if she continues her career in the same caliber as this, she'll be a star. This is the first Sean Baker film I've seen, and I can't wait to dig into the rest of his filmography.

Between his directing, his writing, his editing, and his ability to bring together such a perfect balance of actors into one package is an example of true artistry. The ending left me baffled, but in time I gave it thought and eventually found it to be revelatory.

It brought me back to when I was a boy, when everything seemed so simple, not having a care in the world. I can't think of any other film that did that as well as this one did. The Florida Project is one of the best movies of the year, and if it reflects a taste of this coming awards season the year will close out in a spectacular fashion.