'Red Rocket' A Review

Red Rocket is a dramedy about down-and-out porn star Mikey(Simon Rex) who returns to his hometown of Texas City after bottoming out in LA. He shows up on the doorstep of his estranged wife Lexi(Bree Elrod) and her mother Lil(Brenda Deiss) and begs for a place to stay which they reluctantly provide but require him to do chores and get a job. Mikey uses his charm and seemingly relentless narcissistic optimism to hustle a life back together. After some successes he treats Lexi and Lil to donuts at a local shop and meets Strawberry(Suzanna Son) who he becomes infatuated with.

Rex gives a remarkable performance both grounded and with a kind of perverted exuberant whimsy. The character is shallow and yet Rex makes him if not exactly dimensional at least motivationally clear and magnetic. He is the lead and no question anchors the film and is the guiding throughline through it but it is Texas City itself, the community, and by extension the support cast that really bring the film to a depressed yet effervescent life. Elrod is absolutely stupendous as Mikey's ex, full of humanity, and a stunning reality. Deiss along with a large support cast of mostly non-actors fill out the cast in a robust powerful way. Although Mikey and his story is the focus it is the community that feels the most alive and is given a deserved but much neglected dignity. Son is absolutely fearless and her character's relationship with Mikey becomes the crux of the film. It is complicated, delicate, and difficult but through her(and Rex's) assured performance(s) we can understand what's happening, laugh at the foibles, cringe at the grossness, but not condemn the fact we are seeing it.

Shot with Baker's usual understated but engrossing assurance, Texas City comes a live in the most unexpected way. A refinery, dilapidated homes, old cars, a depressed mall, all have a vibrancy and respect we've really never seen. The score amounts to basically one song repeated maybe three times, with one surprising diegetic performance, and this restraint just furthers the integration of the production design and its effectiveness.

The relationship between Mikey and Strawberry is a grooming abusive one and that is featured prominently in the second half of the film which may be, fairly, a turn off for some. Yet Baker continues to tell unconventional stories in unconventional ways, spot lighting classes, groups, and cultural subsets that don't usually have their stories told. And even if this aspect is complex and hard the film as a whole is filled with such an energetic life, such a Truth, the ride is certainly worth it, the ideas are ones that should be contended with, and the people are deserving of respect(if not always sympathy).

Currently in theaters coming soon to VOD.

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