Red Rocket (2021)
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Red Rocket Movie Review
Red Rocket is a 2021 drama film directed by Sean Baker and starring Simon Rex in the main role. It is one of the best movies of the year.
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“With my skill and ability
there’s no denying what I can do“
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A washed-up porn star clashes with his estranged wife after returning to his hometown in Texas. This movie continues Baker’s tradition of focusing on the underprivileged and sex workers and he once again blew me away. He has now become one of the best, most unique directors working in Hollywood, one who actually portrays the parts of America that are usually ignored in mainstream cinema, this signifying the immense cultural importance of independent cinema.
Some may accuse the movie for featuring an atrocious protagonist who is inexcusable in his behavior, but the movie did not endorse him in the slightest. He lost everything in that powerful finale where he literally was bare-ass naked, so he got what was coming to him. The film is clever in the way that it never empathizes nor criticizes too much his life choices, but in just depicting what happens to this man without preaching about it, it becomes a terrific docudrama in a way, a genre that Baker may have even invented himself.
Having a clear-eyed, realistic look at Texas and just how these impoverished people live was eye-opening and highly important. There are so many different personalities here, but they all live enclosed, unhappy lives, and that honest depiction makes the film a rather difficult, sobering watch.
The Strawberry character is quite tragic and that part of the story is the most uncomfortable, one that makes the protagonist a horrible human being. His manipulation reached the worst levels when he was with her. The estranged wife also got a heartbreaking conclusion and thankfully she screwed him over in that deeply satisfying ending.
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Honestly, I would have cut the entire Lonnie character as he was not really necessary for the main arc. Yes, he was another solid addition that showcased just how horribly manipulative, self-centered and destructive Mikey can be, but still that whole car crash plot point wasn’t really necessary. It was interesting for sure, but I would have personally cut it.
With that being said, Red Rocket is otherwise mostly outstanding across the board. The Mikey character is incredibly well written, believable and even quite complex. He would be a rather unlikable, even obnoxious character in other actor’s shoes, but Simon Rex made him more complicated and ultimately easier to root for him, at least for a little bit.
Rex has been a B-movie actor for ages and he also dabbled in other professions. He did have somewhat of a pornographic past himself, which made him a perfect choice for this role. What does it say about Hollywood that this immense talent went unnoticed for years? His performance here is so raw, so powerful and incredibly believable that I was honestly blown away by him. The fact that he was willing to do full-frontal nudity was also admirable as this is the rare film that actually required it and did not feel exploitative in the slightest.
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Red Rocket is also very well shot, well edited and mostly well paced. It’s a longer movie, but it’s engaging due to the real human drama at its center. The dialogue is grounded in reality while the movie benefits from a couple of instantly unforgettable sequences with the highlight being his running naked bit near the end. I found the conclusion excellent and natural while Galveston was powerfully utilized into the story as well.
