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Writer and director Sean Baker has previously used his films to showcase the intricacies of the American lifestyle. They act as an escapade through the undersurface of communities that rarely get a chance to be discussed on the silver screen, and his newest, “Red Rocket,” is no different.

Two of Baker’s previous pictures from the 2010s — “Tangerine” and “The Florida Project” — explored the human condition to an unhinged extent. They allow the viewer a peek inside the rare and overlooked circumstances of Americana, eventually exploited onto a print of film. And Baker’s new project examines these elements with more humor and lightness than the filmmaker’s entire catalog, only for the viewer to be warped into a chaotic yet utterly enjoyable thrillride of mayhem and hysteria.

The story begins with our antihero Mikey Saber (Simon Rex) as he arrives at his hometown of Texas City, Texas, an industrial gem on the Gulf Coast. He’s there to escape the downfall that was his adult film career in Los Angeles, hoping to make a resurgence in his personal life by making enough money to live at least a single week.

There we find Saber’s estranged wife Lexi (Bree Elrod), Lexi’s mother and other characters who tell stories of Mikey’s old days selling weed, mowing Lexi’s lawn and babysitting the next door neighbor, Lonnie — who is now around 30 years old and becomes Mikey’s personal chauffeur.

It’s not until Mikey meets a girl named Strawberry (Suzanna Son), a 17-year-old doughnut shop employee who catches Mikey’s eye, that the film escalates into absolute chaos. Mikey’s desires throughout the film are all for the sake of becoming relevant in the pornography business. “Red Rocket” is a picture so riddled with anxiety and foolishness that every few minutes, a new incident only heightens its already sky-high stakes. To quote Mikey himself, “The universe is on my side, bro!”

As an audience member, you’re thrown into the problematic relationship between Mikey, Texas City and the town’s residents. Lexi, an ex-adult film star, is taken aback by Mikey’s charisma and slickness, eventually letting him back into her life. The audience feels a brutal, albeit comedic tension between them, and the dynamic between the two characters is incredible, believably strong and downright hilarious.

It’s a perfect contrast to Mikey’s relationship with Strawberry. She’s a dreamy and fantastical presence in the picture, the color palette acting a hazy aura of warm colors. Her character is not-so-innocent, but wonderfully irreproachable.

Technically speaking, “Red Rocket” is a gorgeous and blissful viewing experience. There’s no doubt that Baker’s productions, especially the backgrounds, are a candy-colored affair. Baker’s sister, production designer Stephonik Youth, nailed production design, as well as costume design and props on this film — picking back up where she left off on Baker’s film “The Florida Project.”

One thing that stands out in the film’s production design are the houses of Lexi and Strawberry. Lexi’s house is dimly lit to the point of complete darkness, and the furniture is very disorganized; colors of navy and beige are spread across the walls. Contrariwise, Strawberry’s house is full of light yellows and pinks, acting as a contemporary dollhouse that complements her childlike character.

Thanks to Youth’s touch, “Red Rocket” achieved its heavenly visuals, helped also by its near-perfect cinematography by Drew Daniels, whose recent credits include Trey Edward Shults’ “Waves” as well as multiple episodes of HBO’s “Euphoria.”

Like Baker’s 2012 film “Starlet,” this focuses on the emotional complexities of the adult film world (or at least a glimpse of it). The adult film industry is an infrequent backdrop in film history, with barely any pictures shedding light on the people involved in it. But Baker’s pictures don’t display these characters as coworkers in an “industry” — instead they seem like a family.

Baker’s films often deal with a grim reality, but in “Red Rocket,” that reality is subtly hidden under the hilarious nature of Mikey’s adventures. Through a cinematic “hero’s journey” of complete absurdity, Baker’s “Red Rocket” is an incredible character study of a shameless, confident and troubled man — an ex-adult film star who takes advantage of the people and places around him — and his path toward messing it all up on an impressive scale.

Published on December 7, 2021 at 10:21 pm