Set over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while... Read allSet over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Walt Disney World.Set over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Walt Disney World.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 66 wins & 130 nominations total
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Edward Pagan
- Dicky's Dadas Dicky's Dad
- (as Edward 'Punky' Pagan)
Krystal Nicole Watts
- Case Workeras Case Worker
- (as Krystal Gordon)
Jim R. Coleman
- Cabbieas Cabbie
- (as Jim Coleman)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Halley lives with her six year old daughter Moonee in a budget motel along one of the commercial strips catering to the Walt Disney World tourist clientele outside Orlando, Florida. Halley, who survives largely on welfare, has little respect for people, especially those who cross her, it an attitude that she has passed down to Moonee, who curses and gives the finger like her mother. Although the motel's policy is not to allow long term rentals, Bobby, the motel manager, has made arrangements for people like Halley to live there while not undermining the policy as he realizes that many such tenants have no place to go otherwise. Halley, Moonee and Moonee's friends, who live in the motel or others like it along the strip and who she often drags into her disruptive pranks, are often the bane of Bobby's existence, but while dealing with whatever problem arises, Bobby has a soft spot especially for the children and thus, by association, their parents, as he knows that Moonee and others like her are just children acting like a children under whatever guidance they have, Moonee who has less guidance than most. Although there are some lines which he will not tolerate to be crossed, Bobby lets most of the disruptive things that they do go, largely as long as it does not affect the bread and butter of the motel, namely the tourist trade. The summer in this collective is presented, when Moonee and her friends, such as Scooty, are out of school and are left largely to their own devices while self-absorbed Halley does whatever she wants, often just staying in the room watching TV. Halley is supposed to look after Scooty, the son of Halley's friend Ashley, they who live in the unit immediately underneath Halley and Moonee's, while Ashley is at work at a local diner. In turn, Ashley pilfers cooked meals from the diner to feed Halley, Moonee and Scooty. Over the course of the summer, Halley systematically begins to alienate one by one the people who are her unofficial support by responding with that disrespect to anything she feels is against her. As such, Halley begins to take more and more extreme measures to maintain the life she leads with Moonee. —Huggo
- Taglines
- Find Your Kingdom.
- Genre
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for language throughout, disturbing behavior, sexual references and some drug material.
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaIn a 2017 BBC radio interview, the director clarified that the film's garish motel settings are genuine motels. They continued operating as working businesses during filming, and some real-life residents and staff are seen in the film.
- GoofsMagic Castle and Futureland Inn are not next door as movie portrayed. Futureland is 2.8 miles East from Magic Castle.
- Crazy credits"This film is not authorized, sponsored, endorsed, produced, or distributed by, or in any way officially associated with the Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disney Enterprises, Inc., or any of its subsidiaries or its affiliates."
- ConnectionsFeatured in Box Office: Episode dated 9 November 2017 (2017)
- SoundtracksCelebration
Performed by Kool & The Gang
Written by Ronald Bell, Claydes Smith, George Funky Brown (as George Melvin Brown), J.T. Taylor (as James Warren 'J.T.' Taylor), Robert Spike Mickens, Earl Toon (as Earl Eugene Toon Jr.), Dennis 'Dee Tee' Thomas (as Ronald Dennis Thomas), Robert Kool Bell (as Robert E. Bell), Eumir Deodato
Published by WB Music Corp. / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Top review
Slow but engaging
Many years ago I remember being in a shop where a rough-as-stones mother was there with a 5 or 6 year old girl who was so well spoken and friendly that I barely believed they were together. A bit snobbish of me, but at the time I felt for the child as I assumed her path was more or less chosen for her. Life is not as simple as that, and it wasn't fair of me to judge, but it is a memory recovered while watching this film. The Florida Project takes us into a motel mostly housed by those down on their luck (to say the least). We go there via the perspective of the child Moonee, who mostly runs around with other children while her mother Halley smokes and lies around. Money comes from stripping when she can, but mostly from selling knock-offs to tourists. For Moonee though, it is a world of wonder and color.
It is important to say that it does this in a way that is very slow, and does spend a bit too long lingering in some scenes or ideas. This makes the film a bit harder for those (like myself) expecting something with more purpose, but if you know this then it is easy to go with it and be engaged by what it does. The film enjoys the nostalgic playing and fun of the children, and doesn't push the sadness of the situation. Likewise the extent of the poverty and desperation are not directly shown or labored other than the way a child would observe them. The personal drama plays out though, and in the end it is a depressing film for how it does come over as very real - and ultimately how Moonee probably doesn't have that bright future that she deserves; not to say people cannot escape poverty - but there is almost nothing here to help them do it.
The performances are strong through, which is important for a film which spends so long letting the characters just be on camera. Prince is as good as everyone says she is; utterly convincing and challenging. Dafoe is the only real 'name' in the film, but he doesn't let that be what he is there for, and he is an engaging presence. Vinaite is very good as Halley - had the performance come from an established actress then this would have been Oscar material; I wonder if her tattoos etc made people assume that she was essentially just doing what came naturally? Regardless she is nuanced, unsympathetic, but yet human - the film doesn't pander or patronize her.
The Florida Project is not an easy sell as a film, and it is perhaps a bit too slow for its own good, but it has a heart and honesty that make it work. The performances are natural and convincing throughout, and the film allows the child's wonder and fun come through, while never denying the depressing and oppressive reality of it all.
It is important to say that it does this in a way that is very slow, and does spend a bit too long lingering in some scenes or ideas. This makes the film a bit harder for those (like myself) expecting something with more purpose, but if you know this then it is easy to go with it and be engaged by what it does. The film enjoys the nostalgic playing and fun of the children, and doesn't push the sadness of the situation. Likewise the extent of the poverty and desperation are not directly shown or labored other than the way a child would observe them. The personal drama plays out though, and in the end it is a depressing film for how it does come over as very real - and ultimately how Moonee probably doesn't have that bright future that she deserves; not to say people cannot escape poverty - but there is almost nothing here to help them do it.
The performances are strong through, which is important for a film which spends so long letting the characters just be on camera. Prince is as good as everyone says she is; utterly convincing and challenging. Dafoe is the only real 'name' in the film, but he doesn't let that be what he is there for, and he is an engaging presence. Vinaite is very good as Halley - had the performance come from an established actress then this would have been Oscar material; I wonder if her tattoos etc made people assume that she was essentially just doing what came naturally? Regardless she is nuanced, unsympathetic, but yet human - the film doesn't pander or patronize her.
The Florida Project is not an easy sell as a film, and it is perhaps a bit too slow for its own good, but it has a heart and honesty that make it work. The performances are natural and convincing throughout, and the film allows the child's wonder and fun come through, while never denying the depressing and oppressive reality of it all.
helpful•208
- bob the moo
- Mar 24, 2018
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Proyecto Florida
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $2,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $5,904,366
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $157,553
- Oct 8, 2017
- Gross worldwide
- $10,971,298
- Runtime
- 1h 51min
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39:1
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