2022
18
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Simon Rex, Bree Elrod, Suzanna Son, Brenda Deiss (RIP), Brittany Rodriguez, Ethan Darbone, etc.
Mikey Saber is a washed up porn star who returns to his small Texas hometown, not that anyone really wants him back. Just as his dysfunctional family seems to be making things work, Mikey meets a young women named Strawberry working the cash register at a local doughnut shop. He falls right back into his old habits. I seriously can't be the only one who thought this was terrible!
The performances from Simon Rex, Bree Elrod and Suzanna Son were great. The script was well written. The set design was good with some good plot development and development to certain characters relationships. The set up for the relationship between Mikey and Strawberry was solid and the cast had good chemistry.
However, there was a complete lack of character background into Mikey and any of his relationships, instead a complete over reliance on exposition was used, show us not tell us. The pacing was all over the place, mostly it was painfully slow. There was a complete lack of plot. I don't have a clue why this is labelled as a comedy as I didn't laugh once it was just a full drama for me. The characters were all horrible and unlikeable and whether that was intentional or not it wasn't fun to watch. The cinematography was bland and soulless. The final act was bland and dragged out, and the film had nothing to say and lacked any important or meaningful themes.
Overall, Red Rocket has committed performances from its cast. I must be missing something here as this was a dull, lifeless and forgettable mess of a film that had absolutely nothing worthwhile to say. Watching a film about a horrible person who doesn't change at all and continues to be horrible isn't a compelling story for me, it's the worst film I have seen so far this year.
Overall Score: 31/100.
Mikey Saber is a washed up porn star who returns to his small Texas hometown, not that anyone really wants him back. Just as his dysfunctional family seems to be making things work, Mikey meets a young women named Strawberry working the cash register at a local doughnut shop. He falls right back into his old habits. I seriously can't be the only one who thought this was terrible!
The performances from Simon Rex, Bree Elrod and Suzanna Son were great. The script was well written. The set design was good with some good plot development and development to certain characters relationships. The set up for the relationship between Mikey and Strawberry was solid and the cast had good chemistry.
However, there was a complete lack of character background into Mikey and any of his relationships, instead a complete over reliance on exposition was used, show us not tell us. The pacing was all over the place, mostly it was painfully slow. There was a complete lack of plot. I don't have a clue why this is labelled as a comedy as I didn't laugh once it was just a full drama for me. The characters were all horrible and unlikeable and whether that was intentional or not it wasn't fun to watch. The cinematography was bland and soulless. The final act was bland and dragged out, and the film had nothing to say and lacked any important or meaningful themes.
Overall, Red Rocket has committed performances from its cast. I must be missing something here as this was a dull, lifeless and forgettable mess of a film that had absolutely nothing worthwhile to say. Watching a film about a horrible person who doesn't change at all and continues to be horrible isn't a compelling story for me, it's the worst film I have seen so far this year.
Overall Score: 31/100.