This movie was an amazingly beautiful and immersive look into what it's like to be a child in what feels to us adults like a pretty grim situation. I enjoyed it and thought it was a great (unconventional) movie.
"You're my best friend and this might be the only time i see you again"
My heart is broken, burned and buried !
This movie is amazing. The way it shows us the world from a kid’s perspective is incredible. You see kids just being kids. You see kids being exposed to bigger issues without understanding everything. It also shows the struggle some people have just to survive. Even someplace magical, like outside Disney World. Willem Dafoe is fantastic, one of his best performances.
Little kids abandoned to their own devices. The opening scenes were so crude and raw and void of care and protection that I wasn't sure I wanted to see this movie. After reading the story behind this film I persevered. This is a dark and unvarnished look at people lost in their own lives, except, it is from a child's point of view. Hard to watch. Sad. Poignant. Important. Good performances, although I grieve that such young children actors are encouraged to portray bad behaviour before they are old enough to be equipped to filter the correlation between attitudes, actions and consequences. Another uncomfortable movie well portrayed. I give this a 7 (good) out of 10, for the stark exposition of life and the compelling performances. [Drama]
I had a love/hate relationship with this movie. As a piece of cinema, I felt it was absolutely fantastic. As a piece of entertainment, less so, partly due to some very irritating characters (the girl and her mom). Yet by the film's end I was spellbound, my heart was broken, and I loved these people, despite their annoying quirks. An exceptional slice of life.
"she looks pretty. but i feel bad for her, cause she's about to cry. i can always tell when adults are about to cry"
moonee about me watching the last 20 minutes of this film
"You're my best friend and this might be the only time i see you again"
My heart is melting :heart: :cry:
“You know why this is my favorite tree?
Cause it’s tipped over, and it’s still growing.”
"I can always tell when adults are about to cry."
This is a lot slower and more raw than I expected it to be. A good look at poverty and childhood and while it’s sad, it is beautifully shot. Finding out that the kids’ dialogue was mostly improvised shows how good they are, and William Dafoe is excellent in it as well. Definitely recommend this.
This movie made me feel bad about the new generations. Uneducated, rude, full of sorrow, ugly and hopeless kids. What else should they get in a world full of drugs, prostitution, and other bad habits? I can't imagine the future with kids growing up like this, but unfortunately this is a sad fact and reality of many people.
Ouch... Painful to watch. I made it 40 min before I gave'er a toss.
There are two universal things in the world. One is Music and another one is Childhood. I remember, I used to do these what is shown in the movie. Kids have their own world and own definition. Sometime the crucial world takes apart children's dreams. The movie shows how a kid feels is their own world and how they feel when somebody takes that from them. Last two minutes makes me spellbound. I just cried out coz I can feel what she's going throw. Kimberley just amazing, everyone done amazing work.
Dafoe was great, and his character is the glue of the situation, which is like a trashy car crash. His very realistic character kept my interest, but I wish there was a little more about his own life. You go in and out of a kids world. There was a sense of tension. The setting makes this movie feel a bit special.
Never have I hated children so much yet also cared for them so much. This is really a raw showing of what being a child can be like. I will say the ending wasn't something that I really liked, but I understood why they chose it.
Like long childhood summers this film develops slowly. Constantly brilliant is Willem Dafoe as the humanely real Bobby Hicks, a motel manager with a heart who really cares for his residents (whether they realise it or not) The cast comprises a large number of first time actors & they give great naturalistic performances. In the land of the "Magic Kingdom" we see all the brightness & colour, but we also get to see a grubbier flipside. Not everybody will get to visit the Disney castle, just like you never get to the end of the rainbow, but in the imagination of a child beating up the leprechaun for his pot of gold is a distinct possibility.
The Florida Project drops us into the world of a class of people living off the welfare of the state, poverty line jobs and whatever other way they can graft money but makes no excuses and does not off explanations for the whats, whys or wherefores. These people are as you see them. Consequently, you see the rough-edged and mean-spirited nature of Hallee and no excuses or mitigating circumstances are offered. She could be a victim of her life or she could indeed be a ‘bad lot’ and always going to end up this way. The director/writers say 'make your own mind up'. This is definitely a strength. The Florida Project says, ‘this is what these people are now’.
Likewise, the story is clearly a love-letter to the balmy days of being a six-year-old, to Moonee and her tiny version of the ‘Hole in the Wall Gang’ it is all fun and adventure. She does not, indeed cannot, see the life she is living is not a great fun playtime, because for her it is.
Bobby, the motel manager, a strong showing yet again from Willem Dafoe, is as close as we get to a moral centre in the film, he works hard, tries to keep things in order, but also tries to understand the people who stay in his establishment. He tolerates the children and their, at times rambunctious behaviour, because he also knows the circumstances, they are in. He is as close to a surrogate for the viewer as you are going to get. I suspect for the average adult the children in this film would not be as much fun as they appear in the film. What is presented as fun and adventure from their point a view for most of us would be annoying, disruptive and downright illegal behaviour from our point of view but like Bobby most of us would try to understand them and give them a lot more leeway as children than any adult would ever get.
Empathy for the kids is a given, for the adults, in particular Hallee, it is difficult. There is admirably no lecturing or sympathy toward her and whilst her friend, admirably played by Mela Murder, works hard at a fast-food restaurant Hallee does everything to gain and extra dollar other than actually work. In a passing remark she does mention there is no work up or down ‘the strip’ and her friend will get her a job in the restaurant as soon as they start hiring again but Hallee seems more than happy to scam, grift and eventual resort to prostitution. The film really strains your ability to feel sorry or empathise with Hallee is you are that type of person by showing all the worst traits of her personality and highlighting her appalling behaviour.
This is not to say The Florida Project is a dark and depressing film. Without the strong sense of humour throughout the film, the firm moral centre Bobby anchors you in and the sense of wonder and fun the children have this would be a truly awful film, but Sean Baker and the writers have added this which gives the entire film a huge lift and makes it watchable and not a drudge. The lights are dimmed and then it gets darker as we venture more into Hallee’s side of things and the path that mother and daughter are leading down is inevitable and again not shied away from or sugar-coated. You know it is going to happen about fifteen minutes into the film.
It must be noted that apart from Willem Defoe, who is the anchor for the film as both a character and actor, all the other actors taking part were first-time or inexperienced thespians, but they all give good performances, some of those who took part were indeed living in strip motels at the time. The children in particular, as is often the case, are how such a film succeeds or fails, in this case The Florida Project succeeds. Further to the sense of realism the characters seen during the run time were the real people living in the real motel the story was filmed at, which apparently kept running as a business during the entire shooting time.
The Florida Project is one of those films you can get immersed in without really realising that you are getting lost in the story of these people. There is no huge story to follow but like real life just vignettes as things happen that perhaps should not, are fun, or at time depressing. Like life really. There does have to be a point, no grand lessons are learned, and when you drift out of someone’s life it carries on.
Some will find The Florida Project dull and long and about people they do not care about and probably hate, others will see it as a slice of real-life about real people that whether you like them or not they are out there in the areas that if you are lucky enough you do not visit or experience.
"I can always tell when adults are about to cry".
"The Florida Project" is a bright candy-lit look on Florida lifestyle, which has it's dark moments underneath. The beautiful, but trashy Disney parody is presented from a little girls point of view. Every serious or traumatic event are completely overshadowed by a child; we only see it in the background. To be honest, a lot of the scenes in the film reminded me of "Moonlight". Little details that added to the similarities, but different in execution.
I haven't seen Sean Baker's "Tangerine ", so this is my first film from him and I gotta tell ya, it's a great start. While Baker directing isn't anything I could call a true master or anything, but the way directs certain scenes, even the ridiculous ones brings such life to the film. Mixed with the amazing cinematography is pure magic.
The performances from everyone and several of the kid actors were all fantastic. A breakout role for Bria Vinaite and a impressive one from Brooklynn Prince, who carries the film. The camera is locked onto her through out. You never lose your focus, which alone is an accomplishment. This is best I've seen from Willem Dafoe. A restrain and moving performance that every time he leaves the screen, you miss him.
My only issues with the film is sound editing. Some sound didn't match up or was delayed after it's action, such as fireworks. Then there's the ending which was so bad and out of place with the rest of movie, stopping it from being a perfect movie for me. The quality of being shot on a phone just looked sloppy compared to the rest of the film. It's like they didn't know how to end it.
Putting complaints aside, this is still a phenomenal character study. Striking an emotional core with me. One of finest movies of 2017.
“She’s about to cry.
I can always tell when adults are about to cry.”
Wonderfully realistic portrait of an impoverished life, seen through the eyes of a little girl. Quite a moving film.
The film Mike Leigh would have made if he was brought up in the Sunshine State.
There is a real darkness behind the Disney facade.
This is a pure, natural, heartbreaking story
The acting is perfect, the cinematography is stunning, the colours are on point, and yet it was a terrible movie to watch. I dindn't even finish it, I needed to stop. There are a number of specific reasons why I had this reaction, but the only thing that ultimately matters is how the film makes you feel. And to me it was an uncomfortable and frustrating experience. I'll give it a 5 just because i love the anamorphic look.
Sweet little Moonee ♥♥♥ love her.
Holy shit was that depressing.
Was there some great acting? Beautiful cinematography? Good writing? I have no idea. I can't see past the black cloud this movie dropped on me.
Is this even a movie? Is soul-crushing despair a fit topic for a film? I want to think about that, but that means thinking about this movie, which I do not want to do. Which I think means it was a really good movie, but again, I don't want to think about it.
I'm gonna go curl up in the corner now.
initially watched this movie when it came out with my mom, i was around maybe 11? 12 at the most. it was around the time i had really bad issues with my mom, it was not only emotional but hit us both really hard. watching it again at 18 is soul crushing, i mean then i understood but feeling it from an older perspective with a younger sister broke my heart. i’m glad it was out back onto netflix
The Florida Project is just a fantastic film!
on the one hand it's a nice movie and all, i liked all the acting, nobody looked bad mext to william dafoe. On the other, it kind of has a bad aftertaste of poverty porn, especially since the dcf and therefore the entire social state come off as pretty evil. Very libertarian in that way.
Raw, emotional and heartbreaking. The Florida Project is a look into the real life every day struggles of poverty, being a single parent and doing everything you can to get money to pay the rent. It's quite the experience. It's empathy driven but also very nuanced and down to earth. The characters are made annoying and frustrating on purpose, they want us to pity them but not too much. It makes it so frustrating watching Halley do everything wrong (wrong approach with people, too rough, not getting a job when she's clearly an excellent saleswoman, spending her money so quickly) and a lot of her situation and what happens to her is stuff that happens because she's doing everything wrong. It's very raw and all I wanted to do is help her get her shit together. The characters are so real, my favorite was Willem Dafoe's: the definition of a good man. In a lot of ways he's a father figure to all these people, truly heartwarming. Great cinematography and I love the colors on the buildings it creates something memorable. Bria Vinette gives an outstanding performance but Brooklynn Prince: that kid can act! I wish I could erase the last scene... what the hell was that?!
The Florida Project is a powerful and moving film that shines a light on the struggles of the residents living in budget motels in Kissimmee, Florida, just a stone's throw away from Disney World. The story centers around six-year-old Moonee, her mother Halley, and the motel manager Bobby as they navigate the hardships of poverty and the daily struggles to make ends meet. The film is gritty and raw, but also manages to capture moments of beauty and joy amidst the hardship. The performances by the cast, particularly by newcomer Brooklynn Prince and Willem Dafoe, are outstanding, and the film's cinematography adds vibrancy and life to the otherwise dull and dingy setting. The film manages to avoid sentimentality and romanticizing the characters' situation, and instead presents a realistic and nuanced portrayal of their lives. While the story does follow a somewhat predictable path, it still manages to be compelling and satisfying for the most part. Overall, The Florida Project is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant film that offers a stark glimpse into a world that often goes unseen.
The Florida Project es una película poderosa y conmovedora que arroja luz sobre las luchas de los residentes que viven en moteles económicos en Kissimmee, Florida, a tiro de piedra de Disney World. La historia se centra en Moonee, de seis años, su madre Halley y el gerente del motel, Bobby, mientras atraviesan las dificultades de la pobreza y las luchas diarias para llegar a fin de mes. La película es descarnada y cruda, pero también logra capturar momentos de belleza y alegría en medio de las dificultades. Las actuaciones del elenco, particularmente del recién llegado Brooklynn Prince y Willem Dafoe, son sobresalientes, y la cinematografía de la película agrega vitalidad y vida al escenario, que de otro modo sería aburrido y lúgubre. La película logra evitar el sentimentalismo y la romantización de la situación de los personajes y, en cambio, presenta un retrato realista y matizado de sus vidas. Si bien la historia sigue un camino algo predecible, aún logra ser convincente y satisfactoria en su mayor parte. En general, The Florida Project es una película que invita a la reflexión y emocionalmente resonante que ofrece una mirada cruda a un mundo que a menudo pasa desapercibido.
This was the second time I’ve watched this and it both clicked for me more, and made me realize it’s less of a movie I would recommend to the masses. It’s good. It’s tragic. It’s heartbreaking. It’s pretty to look at. But it’s also not much of a plot. It’s like a live look at reality. It’s A24 and they are comfortable taking the risk of telling a beautiful story without a “plot”. But the lack of a traditional plot will certainly push a large audience away. Nevertheless, if you like A24 real life vibes, this is one to check out…just go in open-minded.
Rating: 3.5/5 - 8/10 - Would Recommend
A excellent film, with a disaster of a ending. Like what was that? It completely took me out of the film, i was aprecciating the childs performance and suddenly they cut to them running, like the fuck.
But seriously, everything about the film except the ending is excellent.
Loved this movie, but that final scene and the music accompanying it felt extremely jarring and didn't really gel with the rest of the movie.
my jesus, quite embarrassing vote 7,4?
This movie is straight up garbage.
Even though I felt like I had been on the cinema for 50 hours after the first half of the movie I really loved it. It’s weird, awkward, formless... it’s exactly like childhood, kids being kids, not seeing the full picture, only bits and pieces. The kids were fantastic as well, cute and natural. I totally loved it!
Moonee and Jancey are very cute, the end is really heart breaking!!
THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD
This movie was good but by no means great. It does a fantastic job of showing a snapshot in time of the kids and their parents and that in itself is very interesting. In that sense it very much reminded me of "Boyhood" but that film had the added layer of actually following the characters through the boy's formative years. I felt like after seeing 20 minutes of this film that I had pretty much seen all that I needed to see.
https://IHateBadMovies.com
I need to write down my utter hatred towards this movie, because I didn't just disliked it I even think it was harmful.
The very first thing popped in my mind as it started was the amazing Quincy Jones interview and his thoughts on Trump and his supporting, uneducated rednecks. On the other hand I'm aware of that I don't see inherently how thing are going in the US, because I'm living in Middle Europe and my impressions are coming from the media.
From now on, I just rely on the movie. Seeing what the children were doing weren't an abomination, what bothered me instead was the menacing promise what they can became if they keep socializing among these adults. What they do now with spitting windshields, disrupting abandoned house wrecks, talking back to adults could be considered as mischievous acts now.
Without doubt, the most disturbing element meant to be Halley, the mom. She represents for me the type of person who is fully aware of her rights, but doesn't think that rights don't stand alone, attached to them the burden of duties. For instance, if you decided to have a child, you would have to nurture and raise him/her and show him/her a good example. Because it's your duty as a parent. But she didn't act like that, even did the opposite. She basically lied to and deceived her daughter, because she demonstrated that they live a glamorous life, but she didn't even provide her a normal-adjacent life. Always claimed she's permanently between jobs, but the truth was she didn't want to take a decent job, just made everybody feel sorry for her.
I found a bit off how the movie ended as well, didn't feel right that kind of repercussion, but as I above emphasized, that wasn't my main issue.
Willem Dafoe delivered a good performance, but the others' unfortunately shadowed it.
5/10
The film has it right that Florida is only good for some quality Worldstarhiphop content
LIFF31 2017 #4
"I can always tell when adults are about to cry".
"The Florida Project" is a bright candy-lit look on Florida lifestyle, which has it's dark moments underneath. The beautiful, but trashy Disney parody is presented from a little girls point of view. Every serious or traumatic event are completely overshadowed by a child; we only see it in the background. To be honest, a lot of the scenes in the film reminded me of "Moonlight". Little details that added to the similarities, but different in execution.
I haven't seen Sean Baker's "Tangerine ", so this is my first film from him and I gotta tell ya, it's a great start. While Baker directing isn't anything I could call a true master or anything, but the way directs certain scenes, even the ridiculous ones brings such life to the film. Mixed with the amazing cinematography is pure magic.
The performances from everyone and several of the kid actors were all fantastic. A breakout role for Bria Vinaite and a impressive one from Brooklynn Prince, who carries the film. The camera is locked onto her through out. You never lose your focus, which alone is an accomplishment. This is best I've seen from Willem Dafoe. A restrain and moving performance that every time he leaves the screen, you miss him.
My only issues with the film is sound editing. Some sound didn't match up or was delayed after it's action, such as fireworks. Then there's the ending which was so bad and out of place with the rest of movie, stopping it from being a perfect movie for me. The quality of being shot on a phone just looked sloppy compared to the rest of the film. It's like they didn't know how to end it.
Putting complaints aside, this is still a phenomenal character study. Striking an emotional core with me. One of finest movies of 2017.
Shout by DeletedBlockedParent2017-11-21T20:27:32Z
Moonee: ''This is my favorite tree! Do you want to know why?''
Jancey: ''Why?''
Moonee: ''Because it's tipped over but it's still growing.''
Absolutely amazing.