The Florida Project, which I had been wanting to see for months in anticipation of this Sunday's Oscars, is one of the most gripping and engaging social dramas I have ever seen. Chronicling the life of a little girl over one summer in Florida, this film discusses so much and is not afraid to show the harsh realities and relationships that many kids of lower-class descent have to face. Rich with astounding performances and themes throughout, this film is definitely worthy of all the praise it has received and, after watching it, I can see why many were upset over its Best Picture snub.
I will start off with saying that I have no negative, or even constructive, feedback about this film. This movie was so well-made and enriching in its own sense that there are no parts that could have been made better, only topics that were made open for discussion. The performances in this film truly made the emotion throughout. Breakout star Brooklynn Prince played Moonee, a little girl living in a motel just outside the reach of Disney World in Florida. The performances and relationships between the mother, played by Bria Vinaite, and the motel manager, played by Willem Dafoe, were some of the best parts of this movie. Willem Dafoe's character Bobby, as strict as he was, was more of a father figure in this little girl's eyes than a motel manager. He played such a pivotal role in shaping this girl's life, especially over this particular summer, and was around for her more than her own mother. The mother Halley still loved her daughter more than anything and tried her best to provide for her, but her own problems caused a lot of trouble throughout the film. These relationships and the writing that created them were portrayed excellently by this cast, and brought out a lot of hidden emotion, even inside me, who can not personally relate to much in the story. The story brilliantly opened a lot of new doors in storytelling, including the child's perspective, lower-class struggles, and childish innocence. This film was told mostly through Moonee's perspective, and contrasting her childhood innocence with the harsh realities of the world around her was fascinating. Moonee did the best she could in her situations to remain naive, but especially in the final scene, her world came crashing in around her. This dynamic was great to see, and was done very well with that continuous tone through the entire film. The story also provided a lot of context to the kind of world Moonee was living in, as she grew up in a lower-class life in the motel. It was riveting to experience what Moonee did as she grew up poor and still had to make do with what she had. All aspects of the story were fantastic, and the awesome performances absolutely added to that.
Some of the more technical aspects of this film that I adored were its colors, locations, themes, and a few very powerful moments that I have never seen in a movie revolving around a child. The design in this film was beautiful, and the scenery of Florida contributed to this as well, enriching a lot of the color in practically all of the shots. It is always great seeing a knowledgeable crew working on the design, as it was as memorable as the story itself. Since this film mostly took place in the motel near Disney World, it added that extra level of wonder to the childrens' lives. This extravagant theme park was just out-of-reach and expensive for these characters, which created a sort-of theme of "personal paradise." Although Moonee has a lot more to explore in life, this looming fact created that goal-oriented mindset in her which was exciting to see. That Disney World motif was brought into an even greater light with the final scene, which quite honestly made me tear up quite a bit. As Moonee was being taken away from her mother, her and her friend Jancey ran off towards the theme park. The score behind this scene and the context surrounding it made for an extremely moving scene. As the girls ran into the theme park, they had finally reached their "impossible" goal. They had reached their personal happiest place on Earth, even in the midst of Moonee's new, incoming reality. This scene was preceded by a fantastic shot of Moonee standing in front of the doorway, bawling her eyes out to Jancey. This shot alone was worth a thousand words, as it really broke down her character. Through the whole film, we had known Moonee as a tough and rambunctious little girl that can't be tamed. But in this shot alone, the audience is shot back to the fact that she is still a young girl and has emotions and responses like any other. This was exemplary acting from Prince, and extremely impressive, given she is only seven years old.
The Florida Project was written, directed, AND edited by Sean Baker, which is an accomplishment in itself. This film is an absolute masterpiece in storytelling, and shines light on lots of controversial topics while providing an amazing narrative about a little girl's summer. One line in particular stood out to me, and that is when Moonee took Jancey to her favorite tree. "Know why this tree is my favorite? Because it's bent but still growing." This line, for many reasons stood out to me, as it symbolizes the everlasting effort to become the best versions of ourselves, no matter our flaws. This was truly the goal for all the characters in the film, regardless of their pasts. Rich with many powerful themes, performances, and beautiful cinematography, this film really outdid itself in every aspect.
My Rating: ★★★★½
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