Sean Baker's interest in real people - using a lot of non-actors, fully-realized places because they ARE real places, etc. - takes an ironic turn in Red Rocket, in which a desperate porn star (Simon Rex) goes back home to rural Texas in the summer before the 2016 election. The politics are just background color, but echo the lead's attitudes. The un-self-aware "Mike Saber" is on the cusp of a comeback, or so he believes, hoping to make his life great again by using the 17-year-old he's fallen for and who he thinks would make a great porn star despite her often saying she wouldn't want to. he sees this as virtuous even as he lambastes his friendly neighbor for stolen valor shenanigans. Mike doesn't even know he's a hypocrite. This is the section of America Baker is showing us, one that's so far up its own righteousness, it's in deep denial about its own wrong-doing. Saber is real pill, but Rex's energetic performance makes it go down more smoothly. He's a scumbag, but he's bad at it, so you can enjoy rooting for him to fail. Suzanna Son as his prey/love interest Strawberry is very charming. The rest of the cast is naturalistic and real.
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ucuruju
Simon Rex is phenomenal in this. Challenges Richard Widmark in Night and the City for the title of slimiest slime-ball in movie history.gobberpooper
Sean Baker never misses. Thoroughly engaging the whole way through. It such a simple story and setting but he pulls so much out of it.Siskoid
Sean Baker's interest in real people - using a lot of non-actors, fully-realized places because they ARE real places, etc. - takes an ironic turn in Red Rocket, in which a desperate porn star (Simon Rex) goes back home to rural Texas in the summer before the 2016 election. The politics are just background color, but echo the lead's attitudes. The un-self-aware "Mike Saber" is on the cusp of a comeback, or so he believes, hoping to make his life great again by using the 17-year-old he's fallen for and who he thinks would make a great porn star despite her often saying she wouldn't want to. he sees this as virtuous even as he lambastes his friendly neighbor for stolen valor shenanigans. Mike doesn't even know he's a hypocrite. This is the section of America Baker is showing us, one that's so far up its own righteousness, it's in deep denial about its own wrong-doing. Saber is real pill, but Rex's energetic performance makes it go down more smoothly. He's a scumbag, but he's bad at it, so you can enjoy rooting for him to fail. Suzanna Son as his prey/love interest Strawberry is very charming. The rest of the cast is naturalistic and real.george4mon
Most fun I’ve had watching a movie in years!