RED ROCKET
US, 2021, 30 minutes, Colour.
Simon Rex, Bree Elrod, Brenda Deiss, Suzanna Son, Shi-Ching Tsou, Ethan Narbone, Parker Bigham, Brandy Kirl, Dustin Hart.
Directed by Sean Baker.
Red Rocket was in competition at the Cannes film Festival, 2021, as well as screening and a number of other festivals and winning awards. It was well received by many critics. On the other hand, many audiences found it too much of a sleazy story with a sleazy central character.
Simon Rex (who had his own police troubles in real life), plays Mike Sabre, returning to his small Texas home town after seven years’ absence – he has been an adult entertainer (read porn star) in Los Angeles, winning those awards, but falling on hard times, arriving battered and bruised and pleading with his former wife, Lexi, and her harder than nails mother, Lil, to stay with them. Definitely refusing at first, they respond to the certain charm that he is able to exert.
Eventually it would seem that he has returned home to try to re-generate his career, even to find some local talent. Which he does, in the form of a young woman working on a doughnut shop, Strawberry, (Suzanna Son). She is underage – but with an approaching 18th birthday, rather precocious and forward in herself, beginning a liaison with Mike. He grooms her and encourages her hopes to be a porn star.
There are some more interesting characters in the background, including Lexi, the ex-wife who was in the industry but also is a prostitute in the town. Lil is definitely a harder than hard case. Then there is Lonnie, next door, becoming friendly with Mike, accompanying him to the adult club, admiring his porn work, but eventually driving Mike to an appointment and, when Mike makes a mistake about a turnoff, Lonnie swerves in front of the highway traffic following and causes an enormous pileup. Mike persuades him to keep silent about his presence and take the blame completely.
Then there is a drug family in the town and Mike offers to work for them, they suspicious, especially the daughter, June, also a harder than hard case. Mike sells drugs to the workers at the local refinery, who also have their doughnuts at the local store. The owner of the store, Asian background, strict, is also an interesting character.
Some have seen it as a serious portrait of Mike. Others have seen it as something of a raucous comedy. Whether one approves of the film or not, it offers a sleazy story and a very self-centred, self-protective, sleazy character.
- Responses? Many festivals, awards? Others dismissing the film is sleaze?
- The small Texas town, homes, drug dealing, supermarkets, doughnut shops…? Atmosphere? The musical score?
- Audience interest in Mike, 17 year’s absence, adult entertainer/porn star career, returning home, down and out, get with some personal charm? His marriage to Lexi, relationship with his mother in law, Lil? Persuading them to let him stay? Going to Leondra, her family and the drug dealing, June as a hard case, taking no nonsense from Mike? Her brother and the memories from school? His drug dealing, especially to the workers at the refinery? Trying to get jobs, refused because of his previous career? The doughnut shop, the owner and her strictness? Meeting Strawberry, the attraction, the continued visits, the outings, her age, her being precocious and forward, the sexual liaison, the time together? The sexual intent? For her to go to Los Angeles? The plans, June and Leondra, taking his money, Lexi and dismissing him? Leondra giving him some money, escaping naked, seeking out Strawberry? A future?
- Moral issues, Strawberry underage, having her birthday, Mike exploiting her, controlling her, planning a career?
- Strawberry, working the doughnut shop, her family, the sexual liaison, sexy, her ambitions?
- Lonnie, military service, next door, his silent father, friendship with Mike, travelling, his admiration for Mike’s films, going to the bar, supermarket, friendship, Lonnie and the fatal swerve, the pileup, Mike persuading Lonnie to take the blame, prison, and Lonnie’s father?
- Leondra, the drug family, June, harsh, taking the money?
- Story, Nash, the boyfriend, the family coming bashing Mike?
- The sketch of the owner of the doughnut shop, Asian background, expectations?
- The film as serious, comic, the variety of responses, for and against?
