I must admit something some might find weird – I don’t watch documentaries. The reason is not that I would hate them; it’s much simpler than that. I prefer narrative movies where I can escape reality. I know (especially lately) I have been missing out on some excellent documentaries, and maybe, at some point, I will watch some of the major ones, but for now, I will stick with films and TV shows. However, The Florida Project and its blend of both, where it’s definitely a movie but quite a few aspects (most actors were amateurs, the way this movie was shot, the movie’s message), was perfect. I have heard good things about this movie, and now I get why.
Starting with actors, from what I remember and understand, only Willem Dafoe was a professional actor. The rest of the cast were either first-timers for whom this was their first movie (Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite), people who have not made a movie since, or actual guests staying at that resort. That will always add credibility to your movie, but Sean Baker struck gold with the “main three”. Willem shines in this movie, and even though he is “only” a supporting character, he makes an impression, and you almost forget he is one of the best character actors we have today. Both Bria and Brooklynn nailed their performances too. Brooklynn had the hardest job since most (if not all) of this film was through her lens, but she carried it well. And Bria… I have met a few “Bria-like” characters and can confirm how well she nailed this role.
I know many people focus on the contrast of how people can struggle so badly living next to Disney World, often called “the happiest place in the world”. Don’t get me wrong, The Florida Project showcases that contrast well, but I thought this movie truly shined in the display and understanding of how vicious is the cycle of poverty. How expensive it is to be poor, so to speak. And if you have zero to no options left, how quickly things can go from bad to even worse.
Just take one of the sub-plots of this movie. Moonee (Brooklynn’s character) does something that results in her best friend’s mum banning her from seeing her best friend. But she also cuts them off from their “food supply” as she works in some waffle place, and she would often “slip” them (Brooklynn and Bria’s characters) food for free. In most other films, this side plot wouldn’t usually have that much of an impact on the overall story, but here, it’s one of the key reasons why the ending happens. How that one domino fell, and due to that, the rest started to follow.
I also liked how Sean Baker (the director and co-writer of this movie, alongside Chris Bergoch) never tried to judge any of our characters for being in this situation. They give us hints as to how they ended up here, but you never learn anything definitive, and that decision makes it harder for us to judge them and much easier to sympathize with them. I know this will come as a shock to many people, but poor people don’t choose to be poor. There are (usually) more complex issues behind why they ended up in that situation. And The Florida Project never even attempted to judge them. The film doesn’t glamorize poverty either, and this is where the documentary aspect comes in. It genuinely feels like they set up a few cameras over the summer and let them run to capture everything as realistically as possible. I know that is not what happened, but saying this is one of the best compliments I can give to this movie. It felt authentic in all areas, from having life-like characters to showing us how little it takes for things to get even worse.
Also, let’s talk about the ending, albeit briefly and with no spoilers. It crushes you. I am talking about the last two minutes, just to be perfectly clear. Something happens that reflects this divide between these two worlds (poor vs rich), and it leaves you feeling… well, bad. Because you understand everything changes significantly and (most likely) the vicious cycle starts again, but with a new protagonist, in a sense. It’s hard to talk about it without spoilers, but if you saw this movie, I hope you understand what I mean. And that’s why those last two minutes are so meaningful and show you what could have or should have been. It leaves you feeling sad. But that’s not a bad thing. Not all movies need to be happy or end on a happy note, and I appreciate the people behind this movie ending it this way.
Overall, The Florida Project is a fantastic film. It is a very “slice of life” movie, where you follow mostly a few people over the course of a month, maybe slightly more, and it shows you their experience. It also reminds us that children are affected by poverty as well, but they are children, and it’s fascinating to watch how they can cope with it, even though they should not. The Florida Project is one of those excellent films I might be fine with never watching again because when this movie hits you, it hits hard. But it’s 100% a recommended watch.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Until next time,
Luke
