The Florida Project (2017)

The Florida Project: Directed by Sean Baker. With Brooklynn Prince, Christopher Rivera, Aiden Malik, Josie Olivo. Set over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Walt Disney World.

“Boy, did I hear some great things about this from film festivals and from critics I follow on social media. Trailer didnu0026#39;t blow me away but I knew there had to be something special about this film. I havenu0026#39;t seen Sean Bakeru0026#39;s previous effort, Tangerine, so I didnu0026#39;t really have a barometer for what to expect. I can safely say the film works so well. Itu0026#39;s incredibly well acted, and utilizes a charming and emotional script to convey an experience you wonu0026#39;t soon forget.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film follows a young girl named Moonee (played by a really good young Brooklynn Kimberly Prince) and her mom who live in an extended stay motel managed by Bobby (Willem Dafoe). Halley, Mooneu0026#39;s mother, has trouble making ends meet and does whatever she can to raise her daughter but her brash personality and lifestyle makes life difficult during their stay at the motel. Bobby tries his best to watch over them but realizes how tough it is keeping them as guests.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIts hard to say much more without giving away key plot points. I have to say this film is a joyous good time. The kid performers are mostly yelling loudly and running around on adventures. you know, being typical hyper kids. Its done so well though. I think Baker may have legitimately had the child actors improvise their lines because everything felt extremely natural. Newcomer Bria Vinaite, wow. She is livewire. Love or hate her character, she is loudly unapologetic and rebellious and just wonderfully portrayed. Defoe is also typically great. Bobby is such an identifiable character.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBaker uses his lenses to study a part of under-represented America. We donu0026#39;t get a lot of films about struggling families who find it hard to get by, definitely not the typical u0026quot;Hollywoodu0026quot; character story. The film is definitely going to hit a lot of viewers hard at the end. Its a rather beautiful ending that reflects the innocence of the mischievous but ultimately innocent children. This could really be an Oscar contender.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e8/10”