The Florida Project (2017)

The Florida Project is the story of a mother and daughter living in a hotel in Florida that's on the wrong-side of the tracks from Disneyworld, and it's a very well crafted film.

The title is a reference to the original name for Walt Disney's plan that would (in watered-down form bcome Disneyland), but it also evokes the US's housing projects, which is effectively what the featured hotels of the film have become.

At times it's a very amusing film. The part-improvised dialogue has a definite sense of verisimilitude while also being laugh-out-loud funny.

The film also manages an impressive balancing acts with the characters. Although they are faced with a tough life, their response to their circumstances is often far from exemplary, which makes for an entertaining watch, although you probably wouldn't want any of the characters as next-door neighbours. Even so, your sympathies for the most part still reside with them. Much of that is due to the amazing performances of the actors inhabiting those roles.

The photography of the film is also impressive. Generally it's shot at the level of the children, so there are lots of frames with large amounts of sky. Curiously, this seems to better evoke a feeling of America for me than I imagine shooting at the adult level would have (probably because when I've been to the US, I've probably spent more time looking skyward than at my feet). There's a vibrant, sun-soaked feel to film, which again lends that sense of actuality to it.

If The Florida Project doesn't bag an Oscar or two come awards season, I'll be very surprised.