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The Florida Project - wow.
- Thread starter Speevy
- Start date
Finally saw this and it was fantastic. Joyful, depressing, heart-wrenching. This has truly been quite an amazing couple of years for child actors, and the entire cast here continues that trend by imbuing their roles with such realism and heart, that you can't help but connect with their adventures and antics. Their childhood ignorance brings the hardships of their lives into sharp relief, asthe struggles and consequences of the adults around them seep painfully into their playful perspectives.
There was always this sad disconnect in the kids' fun playful nature and the rundown squalid environments in which they lived and played. The movie used that juxtaposition to maximum effect here, that we knew it was off and depressing but they don't, it's just normal life to them.
There was always this sad disconnect in the kids' fun playful nature and the rundown squalid environments in which they lived and played. The movie used that juxtaposition to maximum effect here, that we knew it was off and depressing but they don't, it's just normal life to them.
Just watched this.
The moment the music started playing at the end, I started laughing so much. Like it breaks any and all immersion.
The fowl scene was nice.
The whole thing for me lol.
The moment the music started playing at the end, I started laughing so much. Like it breaks any and all immersion.
The fowl scene was nice.
The whole thing for me lol.
I mean, that's the point. It's an overt dreamlike sequence.
The kids are a product of their environment.
Moonee will thrive in spite of her mom, but she's only 6 and just had her world shattered. She had to seek comfort from her friend and her imagination.
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I actually watched this last night and loved it, except for like the last 30 seconds.
I absolutely get what they were going for, but for me it severely broke the flow of a heart-wrenching emotional ending. It's so jarring and out of nowhere that it took me out of the movie and made me confused.
I saw an interview with the director where he says that scene was the first idea they had before they knew what the movie was gonna be about and you can definitely tell.
I absolutely get what they were going for, but for me it severely broke the flow of a heart-wrenching emotional ending. It's so jarring and out of nowhere that it took me out of the movie and made me confused.
I saw an interview with the director where he says that scene was the first idea they had before they knew what the movie was gonna be about and you can definitely tell.
I interpreted the final scene as really emphasizing the fantasy world that she will never have or experience. It wasn't a literal escape. They didn't leave, and the CPS likely caught up to her momentarily after she met her friend at the door. There is absolutely no way to sneak into the Magic Kingdom, and the real-world distance to get to the Magic Kingdom section of the Disney property from the (relatively nearby) location where the film took place is still astronomical for a small child.
I thought it beautifully highlighted the escapism that the kids were striving for the entire film in a very compelling and emotional way.
I thought it beautifully highlighted the escapism that the kids were striving for the entire film in a very compelling and emotional way.
I loved this movie so much. Brooklynn Prince's performance is incredible, and the scene at the end with Moonee and Jancey destroyed me. The ending is perfect IMO. Moonee no doubt always dreamed of Disney World but couldn't afford to go there even though she lived right next to it. It makes sense that her fantasy would be her and her friend running off there.
Just saw this last night and while I agree it was maybe a little too long I really enjoyed it.
It was a very raw portrait of what it's like to be living in that situation from 3 perspectives (Mom, daughter, building manager).
I have a theory about the WTF ending.
I probably should have read the posts above mine before typing what I just did, lol. But I agree wholeheartedly.
The whole movie I was thinking "this girl is going to despise her mom and constantly be fighting with her in just a few years."
Oh wow, she's kind of amazing lol
I can see why he cast her
It was a very raw portrait of what it's like to be living in that situation from 3 perspectives (Mom, daughter, building manager).
I have a theory about the WTF ending.
The whole film it's Moonie leading Jansey on these adventures and we see them through a very adult voyer lens. But in their minds you have to imagine these adventures are much more fantastical, kids are very imaginive and the whole world is a big, crazy wonder.
I saw the ending as Jansey leading Moonie on an escape to the real Magic Castle but it's a fantasy from her perspective, not the perspective we've seen the entire rest of the movie from. It's a total shift in how the film is shot, edited and scored, it's a stark contrast against the realism of the rest of the movie and that leads me to believe that it's not literal.
I saw the ending as Jansey leading Moonie on an escape to the real Magic Castle but it's a fantasy from her perspective, not the perspective we've seen the entire rest of the movie from. It's a total shift in how the film is shot, edited and scored, it's a stark contrast against the realism of the rest of the movie and that leads me to believe that it's not literal.
I probably should have read the posts above mine before typing what I just did, lol. But I agree wholeheartedly.
The whole movie I was thinking "this girl is going to despise her mom and constantly be fighting with her in just a few years."
Oh wow, she's kind of amazing lol
I can see why he cast her
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I'm just astounded this was not nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Mooney), Best Supporting Actress (her mom).
Such thing aint gonna happen with any movie that casts Disney World in anything but a very favourable light. The ending fucking destroyed me. One of the best movies I have watched this yer, along with Annihilation.
Yup. I saw Shape of Water and Florida Project last weekend and feel like Fl. Project got robbed big time.
From what I've read and what little I've seen I wouldn't be able to watch this film. It'd just make me really, really angry. In a good way, but angry all the same.
Really heartbreaking movie and one of my favorites last year. Does a really incredible job with making you feel both empathy and contempt for the characters. Also helps that the acting was great and it's quite a beautiful movie (two standout moments were when the lights turn on in the background when Dafoe is smoking and the birthday scene with the fireworks).
Wow is right. In two movies Sean Baker really gets the most out of unknown actors all the performances felt do damn natural.
Bria Vinaite felt like she ripped right from that hotel. Amazing stuff.
Heartbreaking analysis families just fight to survive on a daily basis.
Bria Vinaite felt like she ripped right from that hotel. Amazing stuff.
Heartbreaking analysis families just fight to survive on a daily basis.
I was never angry, just heartbroken. Here are mothers who clearly love their kids trying to do what they can to survive.
No way. It reminded me of the scene from Sid and Nancy. It was a scene of pure escapism that the child so desperately needed. It was beautiful ending. Perfect.
The kid deserved that ending.
edit: I don't think theirs a director alive that captures the realistic moments and observes it's characters quite like Sean Baker does. I'm on board for whatever he makes next.
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Watched this movie yesterday, and what a great film. It is indeed a rollercoaster of emotions, like reality actually is: There are moments of tenderness, fun, happiness, beauty - but the thing is, the tight grip of poverty and decadence on the throat was omnipresent. The movie didn't paint the characters as victims, even though it clearly shows how not having basic human needs fulfilled brutalizes these people.
I really loved the colors present in this movie. It almost says ''poverty isn't always gray as you think''. The Disney related stores and hotels are presented in a sterile, utterly artificial, almost threatening way - the Wizard of the Gift Shop looked like an entity looming over the tiny children. I also liked how the consumerism is shown through the movie: Even struggling to get enough money, everybody is buying low-quality goods, trinkets, and trash food all the time. These products are aimed at them, in the end.
Even though the ending is just an astonishing, perfectly fitting scene, my favorite part is the fireworks scene. It was so depressing and beautiful at the same time like it was mixing tenderness tears with a bitterness in the mouth. ''It's for you!'''.
But the best thing about this movie it's how it shows the power that kids have in seeing magic even in the ugliest situations. Almost like an evolutionary skill to make it through adulthood.
I believe this movie didn't make to the awards because more than messing with the Almighty Disney, it shows something so real and oppressive that most people choose never to see.
Halley goes on her descendant journey into prostitution because she can't get any job, even though she is full of good intentions and really cares for her daughter. The scene with the ''old tourist'' invading the yard and talking to the kids wasn't crude or exploitative, but it was terrifying because it is so clearly real. The vulnerability the kids show through the whole movie is just heartbreaking.
I really loved the colors present in this movie. It almost says ''poverty isn't always gray as you think''. The Disney related stores and hotels are presented in a sterile, utterly artificial, almost threatening way - the Wizard of the Gift Shop looked like an entity looming over the tiny children. I also liked how the consumerism is shown through the movie: Even struggling to get enough money, everybody is buying low-quality goods, trinkets, and trash food all the time. These products are aimed at them, in the end.
Even though the ending is just an astonishing, perfectly fitting scene, my favorite part is the fireworks scene. It was so depressing and beautiful at the same time like it was mixing tenderness tears with a bitterness in the mouth. ''It's for you!'''.
But the best thing about this movie it's how it shows the power that kids have in seeing magic even in the ugliest situations. Almost like an evolutionary skill to make it through adulthood.
I believe this movie didn't make to the awards because more than messing with the Almighty Disney, it shows something so real and oppressive that most people choose never to see.
A different fireworks scene impressed on me more: the out of frame one Dafoe looked on as he smoked. Unreachable spectacle.
That's why it would make me angry. I'm sure it'd be heartrending too I just get angry at injustice and heartbreak, especially when it involves children.
Just got done watching this. That movie broke my fucking heart. Great from start to finish. It does a great job of presenting the world to you from the perspective of a child. It's very relatable. Great performances all around, but Brooklynn Prince was spectacular.
I get why some people don't care for the ending, but for me it worked. It's clear to me that it didn't happen, but it's Jancey taking her on an adventure like Moonee had been doing for her the whole film. Something Moonee really needed at the moment.
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I'm gonna bump this because I'm lttp. This movie is so sad. Even the joyful, tender, and funny scenes are all sad. For a moment you're in Moonie's little fantasy world and laughing with them, but at the same time you're reminded of their harsh reality.
Fuck.
The ending was...ok. It took me a minute to understand what was going on. It's really jarring but at the same time it's kind of brilliant. It's fitting. There's a line from Moonie that made me say "damn" out loud:
"Wanna know why this is my favorite tree? Because it's tipped over but it's still growing."
They gave Jancey a fucking zebra cake for her birthday.
The ending was...ok. It took me a minute to understand what was going on. It's really jarring but at the same time it's kind of brilliant. It's fitting. There's a line from Moonie that made me say "damn" out loud:
"Wanna know why this is my favorite tree? Because it's tipped over but it's still growing."
First hour of this movie is a "never have kids psa" and THEN we have a story.
I wanted to love this movie so much, but it just never clicked with me. I liked what it was trying to do, and really dug the message of living a full life in the worst of circumstances, but unfortunately I felt like the adventures of Mooney + Co. were too hit and miss. I loved the fireworks scene, the safari scene, and the abandoned houses, but other bits of their adventure just did nothing for me at all. I'm planning on giving it another shot at some point, since it's on Amazon Prime, though.
I really enjoyed it, and it's a very accurate depiction of Florida, sadly. I even saw the Publix logo on the bread, lol.
The ending to this movie is so misunderstood. Let me spell it out:
The ending isn't real. It didn't happen. The entire movie is shot like a documentary. It's all handheld cams or voyeur cams, there's no non-diagetic music at all... The entire film builds up this really rigid language, right up until the entire world is caving in on this little girl.
And then it breaks every one of these rules at once. The camera switches to a child's eye view, played back in fast-motion, with sentimental music over it, and we see these kids doing something that they've always dreamed of that is clearly impossible, running ahead, unimpeded to the one place they've always wanted to go but never could.
And then it hits you: This is fantasy. This is a girl who has no idea what to do or where to go, playing out her last glimmer of hope and happiness before life as she knows it comes to an end.
And then silence.
And then it breaks every one of these rules at once. The camera switches to a child's eye view, played back in fast-motion, with sentimental music over it, and we see these kids doing something that they've always dreamed of that is clearly impossible, running ahead, unimpeded to the one place they've always wanted to go but never could.
And then it hits you: This is fantasy. This is a girl who has no idea what to do or where to go, playing out her last glimmer of hope and happiness before life as she knows it comes to an end.
And then silence.
I fucking cried, man. It's a completely devastating moment when you realize what's actually happening. Unfortunately, I think those pieces didn't click into place for everyone.
I think it was pretty clear. The sudden use of over abundant score(which wasn't in the movie at all until then), the shift in cinematography, the sheer impossibilty of two kids sneaking into Magic Kingdom, etc.
I think it's brilliantly executed. Give you a minute to let it sink in and then abruptly cuts to black to let you think abou the unspoken. It's really powerful.
If you found it clear in the moment, then what about it was poorly executed?
This is was some real shit. Some people never get a chance. It reminds me of some of the things I find in my surroundings and leads me to question the society we have structured where kids are exposed to this situations and worst.
Great film. That ending gave me tears. Not because it was real, but because you know there's no happy ending for them. Just a cycle to tragedy.
Great film. That ending gave me tears. Not because it was real, but because you know there's no happy ending for them. Just a cycle to tragedy.
1: I love the ending, and I think the people who hate it are crazy.
2: Don't skip out on Tangerine, which has one of the funniest blowjob gags I've seen in a movie.
2: Don't skip out on Tangerine, which has one of the funniest blowjob gags I've seen in a movie.
These kids and the awful mother are so fucking rotten I'm having a really hard time getting through this movie.
OP
OP
There should be a Florida Project forum so people wouldn't have to search for it.
Huh. I've seen that woman walking around in Bed-Stuy.
Coincidentally just got through watching this on my SO's recommendation. Definitely a good watch, and the ending worked fine for me.
Yes I did, wanted to see what people here thought of it.
How sure are we that these kids are actually acting instead of just being themselves?
I don't think it's possible to have a definitive answer for that. Some moments are likely to be more 'candid' than others I guess. Frankly, I never really thought about it because it's irrelevant to the story.