The Florida Project (2017)
The Florida Project
I don’t throw around this statement lightly, so I’m serious when I say that this is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. It follows a young daughter and her friends during the summer in Florida, while casting a look at the girl’s single mother. It’s literally one of the most simple movies I’ve ever seen, but it’s jam packed with so many situations, both good and bad. It studies relationships, parenting, and just….life. The best part of the whole movie is how it puts you in the shoes of Moonee. In many scenes, you see and hear conversations and scenarios from her perspective, which helps you relate to and understand the movie. The way it was shot and put together was absolutely perfect. The characters were very well written, and although there were many moments where you get a little fed up or aggravated with someone, you still can’t help but appreciate the effort put into the writing. The three highlights were Brooklynn Prince (Moonee), Bria Vinaite (Halley), and of course, Willem Dafoe (Bobby). Those three perfectly embody the tone and mood of the whole movie. By the end, you’d think that you actually knew and lived/worked with them. Just beautiful. The cinematography was gorgeous, mostly because of the setting. The tourist-y location with the themed motels and gift shops puts you in the middle of Florida, and the good weather and scenery perfects it. The color is vibrant, which is a great contrast to the heartbreaking scenes. The struggles of Halley highlighted against the bright paint of the motels and warmth of the blue sky is just…..I can’t even describe it. I could go on for another hour, so I’ll wrap it up. Overall, the movie is basically perfect, and it’s very hard for me to find any fault. The only complaint, which is a teensy weensy one, is that the middle of the movie felt a tad bit drawn out. But besides that, it’s one of the greatest movies ever made. And I’m not kidding. I’d recommend it to all drama fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!