Romanticism in modern culture is a huge factor of our lives. Almost everything is romanticized in our world, whether it’s violence, fame or in the case of the Florida Project, poverty. The Florida Project is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Everything about this movie, from the cinematography and acting, to even the filter on the film lease makes a statement that left me truly thinking about the world we live in. 

Moonee is a young girl who lives with her teenage mom, Haley, in a motel called the Magic Castle outside of Orlando, Florida. Moonee has two best friends that live in the motel next door, Futurland Inn. So much of what is beautiful about this movie is the performance of these child actors. You truly feel like you are just living with them, giving almost a documentary-like feel. The movie follows everyday events of these three kids, but you often forget you are actually watching a movie at all. The kids play around and get in trouble, all by themselves. The owner of the Magic Castle, played by actor William Defoe, is always trying to watch out for these kids while their mothers are out partying. Part of the magic of this film is watching the bond that these children create with the owner, and how he becomes sort of a father figure to them, as they don’t have these people to protect them in their lives.

It took me a while to process the meaning of this film, but once it hit me, it has stuck with me since. The Florida Project explores a child’s dystopian Disneyland and how poverty and suffering can be seen so close outside of the “happiest place on Earth”. There are many shots of the children wandering around touristy places, and these shots are so powerful with how much they make you ponder. The film addresses poverty through an interesting approach. The whole film utilizes bright colors, and the film lens even has a rosey hue to make everything look aesthetic, despite all of the chaos happening in the life of Moonee.

This movie is definitely worth the watch, and has truly changed my perspective on the lives of other people. The thing that stuck with me the most was the innocence of the kids and how happy they were despite everything going on around them. One thing to mention is that the ending of this movie really puts the cherry on top for the symbolism, and was such a bittersweet moment to watch. This movie broke my heart in the most incredible way, and I highly, highly recommend it to everyone, and think it is so important for everybody to watch.