Red Rocket
A24Once upon a time in Hollywood, morally questionable lead characters were common and could even be found in blockbusters. Though modern blockbusters have opted for clear cut, black and white portrayals, these characters have and continue to thrive in the indie arena. Sean Baker's newest film, Red Rocket, takes this character type to some of modern cinemas trashiest extremes.
Set during the build-up to the 2016 election, Red Rocket follows ageing porn star Mikey Saber (Simon Rex), who, after having a falling out in Los Angeles, returns to his hometown Texas City, Texas and back in with his ex-wife Lexi (Bree Elrod) and her mom. It does not take long for Mikey to start plotting his comeback after meeting Strawberry (Suzanna Son), a young woman working at the local doughnut shop who dreams of leaving Texas. Simon Rex delivers a career-defining performance as Mikey Saber, a charming, nearly always talking narcissist who uses everyone around him for his own gains. Though Rex carries much of the film with his committed role, the supporting cast – mostly made up of untrained first-time actors – hold their own against him all along the way. Nevertheless, the real standout in the supporting cast is Suzanna Son. Though the character of Strawberry is initially presented as the naïve young girl, she quickly grows to become the heart of the film, often basking in trashiness.
Bakers' films have always been about the characters, and Red Rocket is no different. Just as in his previous films, the film follows characters living on the fringes of modern America. It takes its time getting to know not just Mikey but the some of the people that come into his orbit before leading to one of Bakers' acquainted shouting match endings – though it is saved from being too rudimentary thanks in part to an all-timer scene of Simon Rex running naked through the town as N-Sync’s ‘Bye Bye Bye’, the film’s unofficial theme song, blasts in the background and a highly provocative final shot. Focusing intently on the characters, Red Rocket does not try to justify or glorify any actions taken; instead, it simply shows them as is. This styling helps with Bakers' heightened reality and the overall immersion of the film but becomes hard to watch at times as much of the plot revolves around Mikey grooming an 18-year-old for a life in the porn industry. No doubt an element that will cause much fury in the aftermath of the feature and its talking points within the cycle of modern-day Hollywood and the Me Too movement, an element that may or may not be a conscious attribute of Bakers' true intention.
Though making a splash with his second film, Tangerine, and the fact it was shot on an iPhone, Baker has transitioned his aesthetic to 35 mm film for his follow-up, The Florida Project. With Red Rocket, Baker teams with Drew Daniels – known for his work with indie filmmaker and Waves director Trey Edward Shultz – this time using the even grainier 16mm film. Many aspects – whether it is Baker’s use of colour, wide shots, close up shots, or even the 70s style zooms – all add to the film, ultimately crafting Bakers' most visually striking feature to date.
Red Rocket might find filmmaker Sean Baker exploring familiar thematic and aesthetic territory, but with one of the year’s best performances from Simon Rex, the film rises to become one of Baker’s darkest and funniest yet. Albeit losing the traction and cinematic evolution of his previous exploits, Red Rocket seemingly sees the director continue his trend of examining the uncomfortable and unorthodox in incredibly immersive aesthetics; on those terms alone, Red Rocket impresses and succeeds.
