The title of this wonderfully humanist film from Tangerine director Sean Baker offers an ironic twist on the name under which Walt Disney first developed his “community of tomorrow” plans for the so-called Sunshine State. For Disney the “Florida project” was the utopian dream that blossomed into the money-spinning Walt Disney World. By contrast, the run-down motels of Baker’s summer-break drama are more like “projects” in the US welfare-housing sense – home to low-income families living a hand-to-mouth existence, just beyond the boundaries of the upmarket tourist attractions.
Located in Kissimmee, which lies east of Eden on Route 192, these gaudily hued establishments have names like the Magic Castle and Futureland, evoking a dream of fun, fantasy and adventure that is jarringly at odds with harsh economic realities. Purple and yellow paint jobs can’t disguise the fact that many of the residents are in the red, struggling to pay rent, intermittently ousted from their rooms to avoid possible claims of residency. Yet the fairytale is still very much alive for the kids at the centre of this thrillingly vibrant film, which Baker tellingly calls “a modern-day Our Gang” – a reference to Hal Roach’s classic Depression-era kids’ comedies. As Kool and the Gang’s anthemic song Celebration reminds us at the outset, there are good times amid these hard times.
Six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Kimberly Prince) lives in the Magic Castle with her mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite), a dancer and chancer who makes ends meet any way she can – hawking wholesale perfume to rich resort customers, stealing theme park-entry passes from wide-eyed tourists, and more. Meanwhile Moonee and her trusty sidekick Scooty (Christopher Rivera) take time out from spit-bombing parked cars to befriend new kid on the block Jancey (Valeria Cotto). Together, they show Jancey around their wonderland home, taking us on a guided tour of the motel’s corridors, lifts and rooms (“the man who lives in here gets arrested a lot”), scamming ice-cream from the local Twistee Treat parlour (“The doctor says we have asthma and we gotta eat ice-cream right away!”), and occasionally shutting off the motel’s power supply for rascally giggles.
For motel manager Bobby (Willem Dafoe) these young tearaways are a headache, but a streak of protective paternalism shines through his world-weary facade, ensuring that he’s always got their backs. Though Halley sometimes seems like a child herself (“This is so much better than TV!” she squeals when a nearby building catches fire), there’s no doubting her love for her daughter, to whom she is utterly devoted. As for Moonee, she’s watched and learned from her mum’s streetwise sass, talking and acting more like a 20-year-old than an under-10, and insisting: “I can always tell when adults are about to cry.” All of which makes it all the more shocking when her own game-face briefly breaks into tears, and we are reminded just how young she really is.
Tangerine, Baker’s micro-budget break-out hit about a transgender sex worker, was shot exclusively on iPhone. Here, he goes a more choreographed visual style here, conjuring a child’s-eye sense of wonder as we glide from DayGlo buildings to verdant fields that unexpectedly interrupt the alien concrete landscape. Shooting on both digital and 35mm, cinematographer Alexis Zabe (whose CV ranges from Carlos Reygadas’s Silent Light to pop videos for Die Antwoord) captures these weird widescreen vistas beneath blue skies and candy-land sunsets, finding heartstopping beauty in the image of a tree, which Moonee significantly loves because “it’s tipped over and it’s still growing”.
A scene in which the kids venture into derelict buildings (yellow, green and pink) reminded me of Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight, another Florida-set film that found kaleidoscopic poetry amid streets blighted by poverty. There’s a touch of Lynne Ramsay’s Ratcatcher or Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant in the way Baker and co-writer/producer Chris Bergoch embrace Moonee’s defiant perspective, making us feel her joy and pain with all the raw urgency of youth. Fans of Andrea Arnold’s American Honey, too, will notice a kindred spirit in the portrayal of Halley, played with remarkable candour by first-timer Bria Vinaite, whom Baker discovered on Instagram. Elsewhere, open auditions and street casting have generated an authentic ensemble into whose midst more seasoned performers such as Dafoe and Caleb Landry Jones slip seamlessly.
It all adds up to another superbly sympathetic portrait of marginalised experience from a film-maker whose great triumph is that he never feels like a tourist. This is Moonee’s world, and for a couple of hours at least, we are privileged to live in it.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in film analysis and enthusiast of the works of Sean Baker, I can confidently say that his film "The Florida Project" is a masterful exploration of humanism and socio-economic realities. The title itself offers an ironic twist on Walt Disney's original plans for the "community of tomorrow" in the Sunshine State, known as the "Florida project." While Disney's project turned into the lucrative Walt Disney World, Baker's film takes us to the run-down motels of Kissimmee, just outside the boundaries of the prosperous tourist attractions.
The motels depicted in the film, such as the Magic Castle and Futureland, are painted in gaudy colors, evoking a dream of fun and adventure that sharply contrasts with the harsh economic conditions faced by the low-income families residing there. These motels serve as "projects" in the sense of US welfare-housing, where families struggle to make ends meet and often face eviction due to the inability to pay rent. However, despite these hardships, the film presents a vibrant and captivating tale through the eyes of the children at the center of the story.
The main character, six-year-old Moonee, lives in the Magic Castle with her mother, Halley, who does whatever it takes to survive financially, whether it be selling perfume or stealing from tourists. Moonee, along with her loyal friend Scooty, befriends a new girl named Jancey, and together they embark on adventures within their motel community. The film takes us on a guided tour of the motel's corridors, lifts, and rooms, revealing both the struggles and small joys of their everyday lives.
The motel manager, Bobby, played brilliantly by Willem Dafoe, is both a source of frustration and a protector for the children. Despite his weariness, Bobby shows a paternalistic instinct to ensure their well-being. Halley, although at times childlike herself, exhibits an unwavering love for her daughter and a streetwise demeanor that has influenced Moonee's own behavior.
Visually, Baker employs a choreographed visual style that captures the wonder and curiosity of a child's perspective. Cinematographer Alexis Zabe's use of both digital and 35mm film creates a contrast between the vibrant motel buildings and the unexpected beauty of the surrounding natural landscapes. The film's portrayal of poverty amidst colorful settings resonates with other films set in Florida, such as Barry Jenkins's "Moonlight," Lynne Ramsay's "Ratcatcher," and Clio Barnard's "The Selfish Giant."
"The Florida Project" also showcases Baker's talent for discovering new talent, as he cast first-time actress Bria Vinaite for the role of Halley after discovering her on Instagram. The film's ensemble cast, consisting of both seasoned performers like Dafoe and newcomers, adds to the authenticity and rawness of the storytelling.
In conclusion, "The Florida Project" is a brilliantly crafted film that delves into the lives of those living on the margins of society, offering a poignant and empathetic portrayal of their experiences. Sean Baker's ability to immerse himself in the world of his characters without feeling like a tourist is a testament to his skill as a filmmaker. For the duration of the film, viewers are privileged to live in Moonee's world and witness her journey through the complexities of poverty and childhood innocence.
