This world is hard enough to live in as it is, but to add the limitations of pre-conceived notions about who we are, it makes it nearly impossible. Sean Baker continues his use of first-time actors (he objects to the term “non-actors”) with Red Rocket, a film about past love and old relationships, even though others might tell you otherwise. Red Rocket follows ex-porn star Mikey Saber (Simon Rex) as he returns home to Texas City, Texas to his estranged wife and ex-porn partner, Lexi (Bree Elrod) and his mother-in-law, who justifiably reject him. However, he appeases, promising them he’ll get a job and pay their rent. He then returns to his old hustle of selling marijuana, and eventually falls in love with Strawberry (Suzanna Son), a 17-year old donut shop worker who lets him sell weed to construction workers at the shop. He then gets a wild idea to convince her to get into pornography, set on the mission of making her a porn starlet.
But if it sounds like this film doesn’t have a true story engine to generate conflict, you’re absolutely right. The film falters from not centering around its protagonist, which interestingly enough, is Lexi. But Red Rocket not that kind of movie, instead choosing to follow its antagonist as its lead. But this has props in itself – a perfect casting choice for an unlikeable lead (but still interesting) who always finds a way to buy time and tell people what they want to hear: he lies about his “successful” career in Hollywood, and manages to convince Strawberry he lives in a bitchin’ mansion.
However, this stretches the narrative so thin that it loses any shine or electricity it had, with an aimless second act that drifts off to sea. There are pointless sequences that don’t really add up to anything or add to the conflict at hand. The only slimmest, bare minimum through-line of a conflict is used merely as a placeholder for the film to “function” as a narrative, almost teetering on the edge of documentary.
But did I enjoy myself? Yes, absolutely. Did I laugh continuously throughout out? Of course I did. Do I think it could be better? 100%. The film just doesn’t operate or function in a way for me to be drawn to it beautifully or emotionally, because Red Rocket refuses to be one of those films.
Red Rocket will be playing at this year’s New York Film Festival on Sept. 29.