The Florida Project

The Florida Project is a low budget film that takes place in the tourist area of central Florida. The film follows the daily life of a single mother (Halley) and her daughter (Moonee) living in a hotel, as Halley struggles with the responsibilities of being mother. Willem Dafoe plays the manager of the hotel (Bobby) and faces his own daily struggles of running a hotel, not made any easier by Halley and Moonee. Halley is about as carefree as a person can be, which makes it hard for her to provide a good life for Moonee (especially when she acts like more of a friend than a mother to her daughter). Halley is willing to take risks for her daughter, even if it could put her in danger. Moonee is somehow even more carefree than her mother, spending all her days adventuring around the tourist area with her friends at the hotel. Willem Dafoe does an amazing job in this movie playing Bobby the hotel manager. He's just so good at playing the loving but strict manager as he cleans up after all the girls messes they cause. 

The whole film was actually shot here in Florida in an area I've gone by at least a hundred times, the Magic Castle Hotel near US192 and 535 (A nice purple and yellow monstrosity). It honestly made the movie even better to see the characters walking by and visiting places i'm all too familiar with... I wonder if this is how people in LA and NY feel when they watch movies. Even without all that I thought this movie was great because of how different it was from anything else this year. It was just a bonus that it felt so close to home. The movie actually helped changed the way I see that large tourist are of Kissimmee, i'll explain why later. 

The best thing this movie does is the dialog between the characters. There are good chunks of the movie where it's just kids hanging out with kids, and it just feels so real. The way they talk to each other and play just feels very natural and not at all fake and Hollywood like other movies and shows. They say stupid things that kids say and act like wild and hyper like kids act, it's some of the most well done work with kids I've seen. Not to take away from the adults, as they really capture a type of lifestyle that isn't really shown too often in movies. 

The movie is beautifully shot and directed, which is the reason why I can see that part of town differently now. Seeing that tourist area through the eyes of a Moonee, who is having everyday adventures in the area, really makes a place that the average person might avoid, look somehow amazing. Now a place that I always thought of as meaningless to me holds a lot more meaning and has a lot more beauty when seen through the eyes of a kid. The parts of Halleys struggle as a mom are captured really well too and it can be heartbreaking. It's a really nice film to look at from beginning to end either way. 

The Florida Project was just a great film. See the world through the eyes of two characters with a carefree attitude, but understand the consequences of that. Hangout and see the world like a child does again with Moonee, who gives one of the best child performances I've seen in a long time. See Willem Dafoe give one of his best performances. 

Overall Grade: B+