The Florida Project (2017)

My Review

“The Florida Project” is a drama film centering on the summer adventures of a six-year-old girl who lives with her mother in a budget motel in Kissimmee, Florida, in close proximity to Walt Disney World in nearby Orlando. Her financially challenged mother and the kind-hearted motel manager try to shield her from life’s harsh realities. Director Sean Baker (“Take Out” 2004) assembled this hard-hitting movie giving viewers a glimpse into the life of a segment of America’s underclass that is difficult to forget. He co-wrote the script with Chris Bergoch.

The cast delivered great performances, including William Dafoe as the hotel manager, Brooklynn Kimberly Prince as the six-year-old, Bria Vinaite as her mother, as well as Caleb Landry Jones, Jim Coleman, Karren Karagulian, and Macon Blair. The hard-to-watch independent movie “The Florida Project” had limited box office success for producer Sean Baker, Cre Film, Freestyle Picture Company, Cinereach, June Pictures, and A24 Films. The term “Florida project” was Walt Disney’s code-name for his secret plans to build a theme park in Orlando in the 1960’s.