Red Rocket

 

Directed, edited, casted, and co-sound designed by Sean Baker and written by Baker and Chris Bergoch, Red Rocket is the story of a porn actor who returns to his hometown in Texas in the hopes he can return to Los Angeles to resume his career while he falls for a seventeen-year-old donut shop cashier whom he believes he can put her in porn. The film is the story of a screw-up who has burned many bridges as he schemes his way to get back in the good graces in those he has fucked over while also making promises to a teenage girl. Starring Simon Rex, Bree Elrod, Suzanna Son, and Brenda Deiss. Red Rocket is an intoxicating and riveting film by Sean Baker.

Set in 2016 in Texas, the film revolves around a washed-up porn actor who returns to Texas City trying to make some money in the hope of returning to Los Angeles where he meets a 17-year-old donut shop cashier whom he falls for and hopes to make her into a porn actress. It is a film that is largely a character study of a man who had burned many bridges with the porn industry in Los Angeles as he returns to his hometown for the first time in 17 years where he asks his estranged wife if he could stay at his home for a few days till he gets back on his feet. Still, he would take advantage of her hospitality as she was reluctant to let him crash at her house knowing about his own selfish habits. The film’s screenplay by Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch is mainly a character study of this washed-up porn star in Mikey Saber (Simon Rex) who returns to Texas City as he would take up a job selling weed for an elderly drug dealer in Leondria (Judy Hill) though she and her adult daughter June (Brittney Rodriguez) do not trust him while they warn him to not sell any weed to the local hardhat mill workers.

The script plays into Saber as someone who is really his own worst enemy in not just hurting those who offer his help but also in not taking responsibility for his own actions. Throughout the script, he talks about a bunch of things as there is a lot of ambiguity into whether he is telling the truth or talking bullshit as he would befriend his neighbor Lonnie (Ethan Darbone) who idolized Saber only to end up in things that put him in trouble. In meeting the young donut cashier Raylee who calls herself Strawberry (Suzanna Son), he believes he has a chance to get back into the world of pornography as she they embark on a sexual relationship even though she is barely underaged. Saber’s time with Strawberry would create tension as his estranged wife Lexi (Bree Elrod) and mother-in-law Lil (Brenda Deiss) become suspicious of his activities outside of the house as they know Leondria who is also becoming suspicious despite the money that Saber has been giving her. It would play into this sense of Saber not only overstaying his welcome but also getting caught up in his own bullshit where those around him realize what they must do.

Baker’s direction is stylish as it is shot in Texas City as well as areas at Galveston including its Island Historic Pleasure Pier, Nederland, and Kemah Boardwalk. Shot on 16mm film, Baker maintains a sense of grit and realism into the film as he shoots everything on location where it set in a small town in Texas where it is working class with a plant nearby where many of the local hard-hat workers are. Baker’s usage of wide and medium shots do play into this sense of a man who returns to his hometown where he does feel out of step with the times where some things had not changed since he left. Even as the home that Lexi and Lil live in is shambolic with a truck with no wheels and a home that does not have much but they are at least content despite a few financial struggles. Baker would use some hand-held cameras for some scenes while he would keep things steady as it plays into a man trying to get back into the world of pornography as there are a couple of scenes where Saber goes to a strip club. Baker’s usage of close-ups and zoom shots are a key aspect of the film as it play into Saber’s desire towards Strawberry as well as scenes where he has sex with Lexi to satisfy her sexual needs.

Also serving as the film’s editor where he employs some stylish jump-cuts, montages, and other rhythmic cuts to play into the humor as well as some of the drama that includes scenes of Saber riding a bicycle as it is the only form of transportation he has aside from rides from Lonnie. Also working as a co-sound designer with John Warrin and sound editor Andy Hay, Baker maintains an atmosphere that is realistic in the way sound is heard from afar inside a living room or on a location that is quiet and sparse. It all plays into the air of realism that Baker wanted as well as a scene late in the third act where Saber’s own bullshit on the people he fucked over finally come to ahead in a darkly-comical moment where humility comes to play. Baker does end the film on an ambiguous note as it relates to Saber’s own comeuppance as well as him facing this idea of the need to be truthful and own up to his actions or to continue to bullshit and hurt people he meets. Overall, Baker crafts an evocative and compelling film about washed-up porn star’s return to Texas where he meets a 17-year-old girl he hopes he can mooch from towards his return to the porn industry.

Cinematographer Drew Daniels does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on vibrant colors for some of the daytime scenes that includes the house that Strawberry lives in as well as some unique low-key lighting schemes for the exterior/interior scenes at night as it plays into the grainy 16mm film stock. Production designer Stephonik does excellent work with the interior look of Lexi’s home as well as the truck with no wheels outside of her home as well as the exterior/interior of the house that Strawberry lives in. Visual effects supervisors John J. Budion, Vico Sharabani, and Robi Thomas Vazhayil do terrific work with the visual effects as it is set dressing for some locations that play into the period the film is set in. Music supervisor Matthew Hearon-Smith does wonderful work with the music soundtrack as a lot of it is played on location through a mixture of music ranging from hip-hop, country, nu-metal, electronic music, and pop from such acts as Puddle of Mudd, the Crossing, Saul Consentino, Dave Tough, the Like Thes, Mason Dixon, 2am, Dixie Crystal, Electropoint, Spida4eva, and ‘Nsync whose song Bye Bye Bye is the lone song that is not played on location with the exception of a piano covered performed by Strawberry.

The film’s ensemble cast that is assembled by Baker includes a voice appearance from Karren Karagulian as a voice at a strip club, Lindsey Fuller as a news reporter whose house that Saber uses to claim that he lives there as a lie to Strawberry, Sophie as Lil and Lexi’s dog, Shih-Ching Tsou as the donut shop manager Mrs. Phan, David Maxwell as Lonnie’s dad, Parker Bigham as Strawberry’s friend Nash who thought she was his girlfriend, Dustin Hart and Brandy Kirl as Nash’s parents who confront Saber, Marlon Lambert as Leondria’s son Ernesto whom Saber used to go to school with, and Brittney Rodriguez in a superb performance as Leondria’s daughter June who is wary of Saber as she is the supplier and run things for her mother as she is someone that has little tolerance for bullshit. Ethan Darbone is fantastic as Lexi’s neighbor Lonnie as a man Lexi used to babysit as a kid where he spends time together with Saber unaware of the trouble, he is getting himself into where he becomes an unfortunate victim of Saber’s bullshit.

Judy Hill is excellent as Leondria as a local drug dealer/supplier who is suspicious of Saber knowing about his life back in Texas as she reluctantly gives him a job only to become more suspicious about the money he brings in. Brenda Deiss is brilliant in the role of Lexi’s mother Lil, who is initially willing to give Saber another chance, but she eventually becomes suspicious of him while also becoming uneasy with his presence at the house. Bree Elrod is amazing as Saber’s estranged wife Lexi who is reluctant to have him around while using him for sex and to do some things where she becomes suspicious of his activities outside of the house and frustrated by his refusal to help her with other things.

Suzanna Son is phenomenal in a break-out performance as Strawberry as a 17-year-old donut shop cashier who is fascinated by Saber as she is also interested in him sexually where she becomes someone that Saber needs to get back in the porn industry although she is unaware of how manipulative he is. Finally, there’s Simon Rex in a tremendous performance as Mikey Saber as a washed-up porn star who returns to Texas needing somewhere to crash only to take advantage of their hospitality while wooing a 17-year-old girl in the hopes he can get back to the porn industry. It is a performance where Rex brings a lot of dark elements of a man that constantly lies while also wanting to avoid responsibility to the point that people had enough where Rex highlight some humility and humor as it is a breakthrough for Rex.

Red Rocket is a spectacular film by Sean Baker that features great performances from Simon Rex and Suzanna Son. Along with its supporting cast, compelling character study, and gorgeous visuals. It is a film that goes to great lengths to explore a man who has burned many bridges only to put himself in more trouble with the people he meets to the point that he has no one to blame but himself. In the end, Red Rocket is a sensational film by Sean Baker.

Sean Baker Films: (Four Letter Words) – Take Out (2004 film) - (Prince of Broadway) – Starlet (2012 film) - Tangerine (2015 film) - The Florida Project - Anora

© thevoid99 2025

Take Out (2004 film)

Written, directed, edited, and sound work by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou, Take Out is the story of an undocumented Chinese immigrant being a deliveryman for a Chinese take-out shop in New York City. The film is an exploration of the post-9/11 New York City in which a Chinese immigrant deals with working day-to-day as he also copes with owing money to smugglers who brought him to America. Starring Charles Jang, Jeng-Hua Yu, Wang-Thye Lee, Justin Wan, and Jeff Huang. Take Out is an enriching and somber film by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou.

Set in the span of an entire cold and rainy day in New York City, the film revolves around an undocumented Chinese immigrant who is given one day to clear his debt with smugglers, or his debt will be doubled with little chance to see his family coming to America. It is a film with simple premises as well as a loose script that explores a day in the life of Ming Ding (Charles Jang) who is in New York City hoping to get his wife and their child to America as he sends money to them but also owes money to the smugglers who brought him here. The film starts with two smugglers trying to find Ding as they want the money, he owes them as he gives them what he has but is given a day to collect the remaining $800 he owes or else he faces dire consequences. Working at this Chinese restaurant own and run by a woman in Big Sister (Wang-Thye Lee) with two cooks in Wei (Justin Wan) and Ma (Jeff Huang) and another deliveryman in Young (Jeng-Hua Yu) who spends much of his time at the restaurant does a few deliveries. During the day, Ding deals with all sorts of customers as some treat him well while others treat him terribly while the restaurant do what they can make orders and such.

The film’s direction by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou is entrancing in its hand-held style as it is made with a $3000 budget with digital video cameras in a style that is like cinema verité. Shot on location in New York City, Baker and Tsou maintain this air of realism with Baker serving as the film’s cinematographer with he and Tsou also recording all the sound on location with sound editors Eric Marks and Rob Marshall providing all the design to capture the overlapping sounds at the restaurant. The restaurant itself is a character in the film as it is a real place as Baker and Tsou capture what happens when the restaurant opens and what everyone at the place does before closing time. The usage of hand-held cameras allow Baker and Tsou to use close-ups and medium shots to capture the sense of claustrophobia in the restaurant in the space that the kitchen has and what Big Sister must do to get all the orders. There are some wide shots as it relates to Ding riding on his bicycle to deliver food on a cold and horribly rainy day.

Also serving as the editors of the film with the only other crew member in the film is Eva Huang doing makeup on the bruise of Ding’s back due to an altercation he would have with the smugglers. Baker and Tsou’s editing is filled with a few montages and jump-cuts to play into the sense of urgency that Ding must do riding his bicycle in the city. Baker and Tsou would also maintain that element of realism as it play into Ding’s struggle with tension often escalating between him and his co-workers where one of the cooks got a glimpse of the bruise on his back. When the film reaches its third act, set at night with rain still pouring and everything winding down. There is a sense of calm but also something unexpected as it adds to the realism that Ding must go through on a day that has been overwhelming and tiring. Overall, Baker and Tsou craft a riveting and intoxicating film about an undocumented Chinese immigrant’s hard day doing food deliveries all over a rainy day in New York City.

The film’s marvelous ensemble cast mainly features non-actors and real people that include Shih-Yuh Tsou and Joe Chien as the smugglers Ding owe money to, Amy Danielson as a bitchy customer from the West End, and Karren Karragulian as a customer who is upset that he got chicken instead of beef that he ordered. Jeff Huang and Justin Wan are excellent in their respective roles as the cook Ma and Wei as the two men who work tirelessly to cook the food that the people ordered as they also talk about their own situations in coming to America with the latter being sympathetic over Ding’s situation though he does not say anything.

Jeng-Hua Yu is fantastic as the slacker Young as a deliveryman who does a few deliveries as he brings a lot of humor to play into the mundane elements of the day while also helping Ding with his situation. Wang-Thye Lee is amazing as Big Sister as the restaurant manager/cashier who takes the food orders while also chatting with customers in a playful manner. Finally, there’s Charles Jang in an incredible performance as Ming Ding as an undocumented Chinese immigrant who owes money to smugglers where he does not say much as he does his work while dealing with his own issues as it is a heart wrenching yet intoxicating performance of a man dealing with a lot in his life including missing his wife and newborn baby that he has not met.

Take Out is a tremendous film by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gritty cinematography, a minimalist presentation, and its somber look into the life of an undocumented immigrant working as a deliveryman. It is a film that does not shy away from the struggles that people go through in post-9/11 New York City as well as what an immigrant does to stay in America despite all the shit he has to go through. In the end, Take Out is a sensational film by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou.

Sean Baker Films: (Four Letter Words) – (Prince of Broadway) – Starlet (2012 film) - Tangerine (2015 film) - The Florida Project - Red Rocket – Anora

© thevoid99 2025