The Florida Project

GV: Lines from this movie live in the back of my head. They randomly float to the front of my mind and I just have to shout, “Man oh man that’s gross” in the exact same inflection that Moonee shouts it when she’s devouring the buffet at the hotel across the street from her home The Purple Place. I think the reason lines from this movie stick in my mind is because of great writing and because the actors embody their characters perfectly. I remember googling if Halley’s tattoos were real because they really looked like it but no professional actress has tattoos like that. That was when I found out that Halle, portrayed by Bria Vinaite, was discovered on Instagram. I couldn’t believe that a multimillion-dollar movie would hire an Instagram model to be a lead role in their movie, but it is one of the biggest reasons this movie works so well. It’s real. The innocence Sean Baker was able to capture from these kids was incredible and its the reason this movie is so rewatchable for me. Yes, some of the scenes make my stomach turn with sadness and frustration, but the spirit and naivety from Moonee, Scooty, and Jancie is addictive. I love watching them share every lick of a single ice cream cone, play hide and seek in Bobby’s office, and flip off helicopters above. 

It’s becoming apparent to me that my favorite movies to rewatch usually have very traumatic scenes in them, scenes that people don’t even have the heart to watch in the first place. Stuff like Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society are things I watch on repeat (If someone knows as to why I do this please let me know). 

IW: I wish I had a good reason why I put off watching this movie but the honest reason is I don’t like to feel the kind of pain and discomfort watching movies about poverty (especially movies about poverty and children) make me feel. What dumb fucking logic that kept me from this beautiful movie for so long. Willem Dafoe’s performance in this movie???? Jesus christ!!!! A goddamn revelation, I’m sure part of it was just good writing but what a fucking character, I cannot imagine any other actor pulling it off the way that Dafoe does. The other thing that I loved about this movie was the fact that I did not recognize any other actor. They felt like they really were the people they were portraying, and it brought me into the story. I was ducking behind a wall with Moonee giggling as Bobby yelled at Gloria about tanning topless at the pool and I was at the impromptu party watching the old condos burn. I felt like I was just peeking into a world so different yet not far away from my own for a few hours. It was escapism, but not to a place I’d necessarily like to escape to. I feel like the dumbest fucking baby for not watching this movie for so long, it was definitely not a barrel of laughs but it was real and sometimes sad and sometimes sweet and sometimes it made me actually smile down at my computer screen. It’s not something I will rewatch anytime soon but GOD am I glad I was harassed into this viewing. 

P.S. Gabbie, threatening to come kick my ass in person for not watching a movie is NOT motivation for me to watch said movie, I really want you to kick my ass in person I miss you.