Finding an Escape in the Spirit of Adventure

Willem Dafoe and Brooklynn Prince in
"The Florida Project"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

One of the many powers of film is that it can transport you to places that are unfamiliar to you, but could feel closer than you think.  Different people and cultures are all around us, and to see them on screen can give you a look into these communities and provide you with the feeling of visiting a whole other world.

Director Sean Baker accomplishes this with his latest drama, “The Florida Project.”  Filmed with almost all unprofessional actors and using a day-in-the-life narrative for its characters, Baker delivers one of the most affecting movies of the year. 

In Kissimmee, Florida, six-year-old Moonie (Brooklynn Prince) lives with her mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite), in a motel that’s run by a kind manager, Bobby Hicks (Willem Dafoe).  During the day, Moonie spends her time exploring the city with her friends, Jancey (Valeria Cotto) and Scooty (Christopher Rivera), while Halley struggles to keep her and Moonie’s life afloat.

Brooklynn Prince is one of the most astounding discoveries in film this year.  She’s able to hold her own amongst the older actors and exhibits a great deal of confidence as a young actress.  She captures the innocence and live-life-to-the-fullest persona we have all felt as children, and to see her interacting with her environment shows her character’s strong imaginative spirit, a girl making the best of a bad situation.  But, the peak of her performance comes in her final scene, which is the most emotional in the film, and it’s one that elevates her work to rank among the best big-screen debuts of any child actor in recent years.

Although Bria Vinaite’s character is an occasionally infuriating person, being both immature and neglectful, we also see her trying to provide for her daughter, which helps us to feel for her.  Vinaite’s role is the epitome of a love-hate relationship, as we sympathize with her as she tries to give Moonie as good of a life as possible, but also dislike her behavior when she reverts back to her less-than-reputable and childish behavior.  In all, it’s a heartbreaking performance that promises great things for Vinaite’s career.

Willem Dafoe’s performance reminds me of those given last year by Michelle Williams and Nicole Kidman in “Manchester by the Sea” and “Lion,” respectively, in that, even though they’re established actors, their performances are modest, not showy.  In the case of Dafoe, he’s understated to the point where he fits in with the unprofessional actors and doesn’t call attention to himself, but he’s still allowed to display his acting powers in smaller ways that are still effective.  His performance is of someone who’s sort of a father figure to Moonie and Halley, offering help whenever he can to make sure they stay on the right path.

The screenplay by Baker and Chris Bergoch doesn’t have a typical three-act structure, but is instead more of a series of vignettes that shows how the characters go about their lives on a daily basis.  By telling the story in such a manner, the film provides a greater sense of realism because it’s not the type of movie that has to follow a traditional storytelling format, but instead just takes you from one day to the next as it shows you what Mooney, Halley, and the other characters experience in this lifestyle.

Throughout the film, Baker and Bergoch invite comparisons between Moonie’s hometown and Disney World, as she doesn’t live too far away from the .  The motels and other tourist attractions around Moonie’s motel almost create her and her friends’ own version of Disney World, as her motel is called the Magic Castle (a stand-in for the Magic Kingdom), the Futureland Motel (a stand-in for Epcot’s Future World).  And then we have Moonie taking Jancey on a safari to see a herd of cows (the Animal Kingdom), and when they relax under a giant tree (the Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life).  By doing this, the screenwriters juxtapose Disney World with the outside world that people don’t normally consider or see when they visit the theme park, despite that lifestyle being in the park’s own backyard.

Because Baker uses a cast of mostly unprofessional actors, this aspect adds to the authentic portrait of this piece of American life, as he follows his subjects like a documentarian. This is exemplified in the scenes where Halley takes Moonie to upscale hotels, where they stand outside to sell perfume to passersby.  Most of the time in these scenes, he films the mother and daughter from afar, like an explorer observing a species in the wild.

“The Florida Project” is one of those movies that will stick in your mind after you leave the theater because there isn’t anything else quite like it that has come out this year.  It’s a tribute to childhood and how the optimism at such a stage in a person’s existence can help them see their life as being a little brighter than it may be at the moment.  It’s an optimism we’ve all needed when we were younger, knowing that, in those moments, were when we were most invincible.

Final grade: A

For a Tough, Midwestern Mother, Words and Actions are Equally Powerful

Frances McDormand in "Three Billboards Outside
Ebbing, Missouri"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Balancing drama and humor in a film can be tricky territory in which to traverse.  If one overshadows the other, you risk losing the viewer because they won’t be sure what you’re trying to accomplish.  It takes a talented filmmaker to be able to make audiences laugh at one moment, and then gasp at the flip of a dime, all without making it feel like the director is trying too hard.  Martin McDonagh is one such individual who has accomplished this before in his films “Seven Psychopaths” and “In Bruges.”

He now brings his signature dark humor to the screen once again in his comedy-drama, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”  Although this film deals with rough subject matter, he manages to show some black wit throughout the story, all with his usual mix of distinctive characters and memorable dialogue.

It’s been seven months since Mildred Hayes’ (Frances McDormand) daughter, Angela (Kathryn Newton), was murdered.  Since then, the police have given up the case, due to the lack of leads.  Mildred soon takes matters into her own hands and rents out three billboards outside of town that speak a message to Sheriff Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson).  He soon develops a newfound dedication to finding Angela’s killer, all while Mildred continues her own approach to solving the case.

Frances McDormand’s character is like the antithesis of her role as police chief Marge Gunderson in 1996’s “Fargo,” who was someone who made sure that justice was served; but in this case, McDormand inhabits someone who does so by using methods that are much more radical (the fact that the names of the two characters are similar should elicit a chuckle).  She brings a fiercely funny performance that revels in her character’s abrasive personality and coarse dialogue, but it’s one that never forgets about the grit and determination that Margaret exemplifies when trying to catch her daughter’s murderer.  Actually, some of McDormand’s best scenes are the ones that are more contemplative, particularly in a touching sequence where her character plants flowers underneath the billboards.

Although Woody Harrelson’s character can have a tough persona, he manages to make his character more than just a gruff sheriff.  Harrelson’s not only witty, but he also brings emotional depth to his work when it’s time for his character to face challenging decisions.  Willoughby has a much more dramatic arc than is expected, portraying a law enforcer who must help a mother seek justice, as well as a father and husband who must focus on his own issues that hit much closer to home.

Sam Rockwell provides one of his best performances as a prejudicial police officer, but just like Harrelson’s work in the film, you get a couple of more layers than you anticipate.  He may seem like a dimwitted individual, but Rockwell portrays his character in such a way where you see that’s he’s trying to be more of big shot in order to impress his fellow officers and higher-ups, pretty much to the point where you feel sorry for him.  All of this helps to make his journey in the second half of the film all the more compelling.  I would reveal more about his character, but it would spoil the places in which Rockwell’s role brings him.

McDonagh’s screenplay does well in exploring the theme of the supposed quiet nature of small-town America and the dangers that may lurk underneath.  Having the story take place in Ebbing is a clever move because the name itself explains exactly what the town is doing, experiencing a fading of the notion that this is a typical rural town where one can’t imagine anything bad happening.   To help expand upon the sense of something withering away, McDonagh uses a recurring motif of fire, utilizing it to show the waning facade of the small-town quaintness and exposing the town for what it may truly be.  On the wittier side of this rural illusion, McDonagh has Margaret working in a store called “Southern Charms,” a trait that’s hilariously missing from her character.

What McDonagh also does with his narrative is subvert expectations as to how the film will play out.  He doesn’t make this a typical police procedural or whodunit, but instead uses the story as a way to examine Margaret’s more-extreme actions.  You sympathize with her because of her loss, but you may also question the steps she takes to find the justice for which she’s looking.

While mixing sometimes-startling violence with dark humor, McDonagh continues to exhibit his ability to find comedy in the unlikeliest of places.  Despite making us laugh from time to time during the film, he remains in-tune with Margaret’s plight and the pain she’s feeling.  And in regard to the crumbing of the town’s false appearances to show what’s beneath, McDonagh strengthens that notion with the use of McDormand’s comical and dramatic sensibilities, with the former appearing the most, only to vanish at times to show the depths of what’s going through Margaret’s mind.  In the end, McDonagh gives us more than the narrative’s initial mystery, and the movie is so much better because of it.

Final grade: A

Reconnecting in the Midst of Loss

From left: Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, and Laurence Fishburne
in "Last Flag Flying"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Richard Linklater is a filmmaker who excels in coming-of-age stories, as he’s displayed with movies such as “Dazed and Confused,” “Boyhood,” “Everybody Wants Some!!” and his “Before” trilogy.  Because these films focus on people growing up at different stages in their lives, Linklater shows that you can come of age at any age.

He sticks with the same concept for his latest film, “Last Flag Flying,” which finds Linklater shifting into a different kind of dramatic territory.  As with a lot of his work, this movie soars on the talents of its cast and timeless themes, providing a rich opportunity for moviegoers to connect with the story at hand.

In December 2003, Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell), receives word that his son has been killed in Iraq.  He then sets out to reunite with his friends and fellow Vietnam veterans, Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne), to accompany him to Arlington Cemetery for the funeral.  In a quick change of plans, Larry decides to bring his son back to his hometown to be buried, and as the three friends travel back to Larry’s home for the service, they take the time to reconnect and come to terms with their past.

Linklater is a master at assembling casts that have a natural chemistry, almost to the point where he doesn’t even have to do any directing and can just let the cast do what they have to do.  Carell, who impressed us with his fiercely dramatic turn in 2014’s “Foxcatcher,” delivers another performance that shows the acting depth of which he’s capable outside of comedies.  It’s an introverted performance that captures the deep level of loss he feels and the sadness that’s running through him, but also lets us see the happiness he feels when in the company of his close friends.  Cranston, who’s meant to be the funny man of the trio, delivers the right amount of comedy to help us see the lighthearted moments between him and his friends.  His humor may be a tad jarring at first because of the story’s emotional scenario, but he never lets it undermine the seriousness of Larry’s loss.  And Fishburne is wonderful as a man who has left his past behind him, but does what’s right and stands by Larry as he goes through a tragic time, making this performance his finest of the past few years.

Cicily Tyson, who plays the mother of a deceased Marine who served with the main trio, delivers an understated, yet impactful performance in a five-minute sequence during the film’s last half hour.  I won’t give anymore details, but I will say it’s one of the film’s best scenes.  

The screenplay by Linklater and Darryl Ponicsan, which is based on the latter’s 2005 novel, takes a bit of time to smooth out the transitions between the dramatic and humorous moments, but it doesn’t take long for it to find its footing.  

The plot of the film mostly revolves around the main characters reuniting and catching up, so the overall story isn’t so much a traditional plot structure as it is like time you’re spending with old friends, reminiscing about the moments that were shared years ago and what has happened during your time apart.  That’s why the audiences can become attached to them, because at certain points in the film, you can look at this trio and picture similar times you’ve had with your friends.  This is Linklater's filmmaking power, to make his viewers recall their own experiences, a skill that makes him one of the best American directors working today.    

What could have been an overly sentimental military-drama is instead a movie that skillfully deals with themes such as reconnection, regrets, and loss, all of which are handled with the high level of care and detail that we have come to expect from a director who excels in such relatable topics.  Just as with many of Linklater’s other films, he allows scenes to unfold at a deliberate pace without making the film feel slow, which lets us sit back and be absorbed in the opportunity to get to know his characters. 

You can always rely on Linklater to tackle the challenges of life and remain grounded in his approach, rather than making it schmaltzy for the sake of eliciting a cheap emotional response.  The feelings you go through while watching one of his movies are earned because, whether Linklater’s characters are older, younger, or the same age as you, you’ve probably had experiences that are similar to the ones that are lived by those characters.  In the end, Linklater doesn’t just want to make a good movie; he wants to put a bit of your life on screen.

Final grade: A-