Movie Review: The Florida Project
What We Liked
What We Didn't Like
Right off the bat, The Florida Project is a curious juxtaposition. As the film begins, viewers are blinded by alarmingly bright pastel scenery—lilac is simply not a color picked as the primary pigment for a film. Welcome to the Magic Castle—a freshly painted purple motel on the outskirts of Disney World. As we acclimate to the color pallet, we’re serenaded with “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang. At the onset, we feel jovial. But the Magic Castle isn’t such a magical place for its residents. Despite the lively, luminous romp portrayed in portions of The Florida Project trailers, this is not a feel-good movie. An easy movie to watch? Yes, absolutely. A good story? Yes; I’ll attest to that. But a feel-good, Disney-esque film? No. A thousand times, no.
Harsh reality sinks in as director Sean Baker transports us into the shadows of Disney World. With beautifully framed shots keeping our interest for nearly two hours, Baker showcases the dichotomy of ramshackle inns littering a town lined with off-brand Mickey merchants and discount stores. A neighborhood that makes its living peddling wares to those heading to Disney, but perhaps not fortunate enough to stay within the confines of Celebration, Florida.
Meet Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), a sly, imaginative young girl who lives in the Magic Castle with her mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite). Halley, an unemployed single mom who typically makes ends meet by trespassing onto the nearby wealthy hotel grounds and hawking either stolen or wholesale goods to those patrons at a discounted price, utilizes Moonee as her fast-talking coworker in these endeavors. Just as Moonee relies on her mother to feed and shelter her, Halley relies on Moonee to help her afford the daily cheese pizza and $38 a day room.
As far as seedy, unsafe hotels go, though, there is an upside for this tiny family. The manager of the Magic Castle motel, Bobby (Willem Dafoe), is the closest thing either of these women has to a guardian angel. He is likely the only reason they’re not homeless, as Halley just barely makes her weekly rent.
Dafoe is the only The Florida Project actor most viewers will recognize. He is the perfect mix of crusty harshness and sympathy, Defoe’s role/performance is essential—as Bobby may be the only truly likable character.
Moonee is a handful—the understatement of the year. Due to a mother who lets her wander the Floridian streets causing trouble daily with her mini crew of local motel friends, Moonee gets into big-time trouble quite often. She is cunning enough to weasel out of it, though, if caught. Forced to grow up too soon, Moonee isn’t learning from her mother’s mistakes. She’s just learning to make them on her own.
Bria Vinaite and Brooklyn Prince in “The Florida Project.” Photo by Marc Schmidt.
While not necessarily likable, Mooney’s character is an invaluable one. She’s a strong, independent little girl who makes friends easily. The Florida Project is not a movie about bullies, like many movies featuring child actor primaries are these days. Instead, these kids gang up together against the world—which has thus far been a wide-open playground designed to mistreat them. A neighbor’s domestic violence dispute or a nearby house fire serve as their entertainment; not their fear.
Brooklynn Prince masters the role of Moonee with incredible depth. Just because she doesn’t play an agreeable character, doesn’t mean her acting isn’t out-of-this-world sensational. Because it is, as is Vinaite’s. The mother-daughter duo play a very believable pair, each with the acting chops of a well-seasoned performer. They don’t overact. It’s just very easy to believe that we’re watching what’s going down around them right there with them.
Albeit melancholy, the story is a moving one. But go see this movie for the acting. See it for Vinaite’s raw portrayal of a cruddy mother who may care about her daughter—but not for her. See it for Prince’s addicting, enthusiastic depiction of a creative young girl who makes the best of her surroundings because it’s all she knows. Certainly, see it for Dafoe’s grizzliness. The Florida Project is magic, marshmallows, and hope—all thrown into a pit of despair. To say it tugs at the heart strings would be too trite and cute. But your emotions are in for a ride.
Mandi Ruffner
