The Florida Project's stark contrast between charmed living and survival

When we meet Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), the six-year-old protagonist in Sean Baker's latest film, she's the queen of her little kingdom - a seedy motel on the fringes of Disney World. She's the leader of an elementary age gang of troublemakers who run around a motel during summer break. Baker does an excellent job capturing the spastic and carefree energy of childhood on a bedbug-infested, chipped paint backdrop.

Moonee's a hustler - a trait she's picked up from her mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite), who is just a kid herself. The shady guests at the motel are all kept in check by kind-hearted motel manager: Bobby (Willem Defoe). It's a performance unlike I've ever seen from Defoe. Despite his tough exterior, his empty promises to throw out his down-and-out tenants and subtle acts of kindness show he really cares for them. Even the kids who are constantly causing trouble around the already dilapidated motel.

The motel is a community of undesirables: a 60-year-old woman who can't seem to keep her shirt on at the pool, neglectful parents, and an assortment of other guests who's lives are in chaos. Moonee's innocence protects her from this to some degree, but the realities of her situation starts to creep in on her unfettered lifestyle.

Along with most of the guests, Halley and Moonee are semi-permanent residents. They're scraping by by selling perfume at the upscale hotels in the area, and subsisting on delivery pizza, and the food that friends who work at fast food restaurants can provide. Halley is a laid off stripper who spends more time taking bikini pics than paying attention to her daughter's activities during the day. There is a tenderness in their relationship, but it doesn't dull this scathing look at generational poverty and the life of a single parent who is wholly ill-equipped for parenting - a reality that's been normalized for the rambunctious kids in the story.

When the film started, I couldn't stop smiling at the vivid portrayal of childhood and Prince's excellent performance. She's a firecracker from start to finish. Even the pastel motel and Disney-inspired decor made me chuckle, but as the story wore on I found myself crying in the last moments of the film as Halley's irresponsible behavior and Moonee's surroundings start to strip her of her innocence more and more.

It's a beautifully nuanced film. At one point Moonee says "I can always tell when adults are about to cry." It's brief lines of dialogue and actions from Moonee throughout the film that show how her surroundings are seeping in and shaping how she sees the world. The main characters are incredibly complex in ways that both reveal the disparity of their situations, but also the sweetness of life and relationships. If this film isn't on your radar yet, it should be. You can go check it out in theaters and watch the trailer here.