The Florida Project -- The Adventures That Summer Holds

sara marsetti
Apr 15, 2018
4 min read

My review on Sean Baker's incredible film, The Florida Project:

Directed by Sean Baker, The Florida Project gives viewers an inside look at summer and the adventures it holds through the eyes of six-year-old Moonee. Living in a motel outside of Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Moonee’s mother Halley is constantly struggling and doing whatever it takes to make ends meet to provide for her daughter. However, the way in which Halley is making most of her money draws concern for the motel owner Bobby who acts like a father figure to both Moonee and Halley. Although the lives of the adults in Moonee’s life are far from perfect, Moonee, along with her friends Scooty and Jancey manage to live life to the fullest before the summer comes to an end.

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Willem Dafoe portrayed the character of Bobby, the owner of the motel where the majority of the film takes place. Dafoe’s character is very much invested in the overall satisfaction of his customers, who he treats like family. Although Bobby comes off to be a very stern, uptight individual, we soon learn that Bobby is truly a compassionate soul who wants nothing but the best for the people around him. The performance by Dafoe was truly unforgettable. Dafoe took on the role of a father figure who was able to show the audience the struggles of having many responsibilities and having patience but yet also getting frustrated at times by the obstacles in his way. A scene that stood out most to me was when Bobby was yelling at Halley because she was having visitors at the hotel who had not been signed in at the front desk. In this scene, Dafoe demonstrates the true colours of his character for the first time by expressing them through anger at Halley. The raw and intensity of his performance go to show that Bobby has good intentions even if it does not come across that way. Another performance, as well as the character that stood was the role of Halley, portrayed by actress Bria Vinaite in her debut acting role. The character Halley is a free-spirited teen mother that always ensures that Moonee is happy and loved even if they do not necessarily have a lot in terms of where they live and the amount of money they have. Watching Bria’s performance, I found it quite astonishing and hard to believe that this is, in fact, her first time acting ever. In the last scene of the film, Halley’s character is caught up in a bind, and there is a mixture of different emotions being shown which brought me to tears. The performance was so natural and realistic that I almost felt like I was no longer watching this film, but rather in the room with Halley. Although Bria Vinaite was not nominated for best-supporting actress at the 2018 Academy Awards, I could definitely see her in that category in the years to come.

The Florida Project received so much acclaim because of its amazing cinematography and overall aesthetically pleasing shots. Director Sean Baker uses a style of directing that focuses on the art that is cinema and brings it to life on the big screen. Sean Baker has a recognizable and distinct style similar to directors, Wes Anderson, and Quentin Tarantino. The shots that stood out most to me were establishing shots with diverse colour schemes. The motel where the film takes place is a bright pink and purple. The buildings in the surrounding area where the other establishing shots are taken are also bright colours such as orange, blue, and white. However, the shot that I found to be most beautiful was when Moonee and Jancey are looking at a rainbow that is cast above the motel. The shot is a medium long shot and was symbolic because it represented peace, hope, and good fortune. Lastly, the soundtrack which was also symbolic and tied together at the end of the film. To further explain, at the start of the film, the song “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang plays. While watching this, I had a feeling that it would soon be revealed later why this song was used. My prediction was correct because, at the end of the film, an orchestra instrumental version of the song plays to close the movie and is left to interpretation. I believe that this song was used to represent the celebration of life and how living is a celebration of good times and memories.

A big part of growing up is facing reality and understanding what the real world is like. The Florida Project exhibits the theme of loss of innocence in Moone’s life. The reason why I chose to critique this film in the first place is that of the issue presented in the movie. The Florida Project shows audience members how difficult it is to provide and raise a young child as a single teenage mother. Halley tried making money in many different ways. Consequences occur when she gets caught and puts Moonee at risk. Moonee finally realises what is happening and inevitably loses her innocence. There are many Halley’s and Moone’s out there in the world struggling, and this movie really ties this issue together by showing the different perspectives of the lives of all the diverse characters.

The Florida Project is a film that can resonate with everyone. With that being said, I would recommend this film to someone else. Specifically, people 14 years and older because it does deal with mature topics that people any younger probably would not understand or connect with as much. This film is very touching and has made a major impact on myself and that’s why I enjoyed it so much. The performances, cinematography, and of course story touched me so deeply and I am still very shocked that it was not nominated for best picture. I hope that this film gets the recognition it deserves and hopefully will become a classic in the years to come. My rating for this film would be ⅘ stars.