The Florida Project 2017

In the vibrant town of Kissimmee, Florida, young Dicky, portrayed by Aiden Malik, excitedly brings his friends, six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) and Scooty (Christopher Rivera), to explore the nearby seedy motel known as Future Land. Their day begins mischievously as they climb to the second-floor balcony, engaging in playful antics by spitting on a car. This attracts the attention of the car’s owner, Stacy (Josie Olivo), who promptly reprimands them, especially when Moonee targets Stacy’s granddaughter, Jancey (Valeria Cotto).

Stacy swiftly heads to the adjacent Magic Castle Motel, where the trio resides, and alerts the manager, Bobby (Willem Dafoe). Bobby approaches Halley, Moonee’s young mother played by Bria Vinaite, about the children’s behavior. Consequently, Moonee and her friends are coerced into cleaning up the mess they made on Stacy’s car.

Halley and Moonee’s extended stay at Magic Castle is a result of their financial struggles, shared by many residents, including Scooty and his teenage mother Ashley (Mela Murder), who manages to bring Moonee and Halley a few meals from her restaurant job. Having once worked as a stripper, Halley is now desperately trying to scrape together enough money for rent.

As the days pass, Moonee and Scooty join forces to play and search for Dicky, but his father keeps him punished for their earlier antics. They soon invite Jancey to join in on their adventures, crossing local streets to visit an ice cream shop where they charm strangers into handing them spare change for a shared ice cream cone.

That evening, the children observe a young couple mistakenly check into the motel, thinking they had booked a stay at the more renowned Magic Kingdom hotel next to Walt Disney World. Their summer vacations are filled with innocent mischief, like sneaking peeks at women sunbathing and even shutting off the motel’s power, leading to chaos as residents grumble in the heat.

As the cycle of summer fun unfolds, they face significant changes. Dicky and his father prepare to leave for New Orleans, bidding farewell to their friends while giving away old toys—a gesture that tugs at everyone’s heartstrings.

Moonee, Jancey, and Scooty then find themselves in an abandoned house, where curiosity has dire consequences when a stolen lighter leads to a major fire, sending the kids racing home to evade responsibility. This incident results in Scooty’s mother forbidding him from spending time with Moonee, causing a rift in their close-knit friendship.

In retaliation, Halley takes Moonee to Ashley’s workplace, demanding a hearty meal where she casually dismisses the uneaten food. Later, while painting outside, Bobby expresses suspicion towards an elderly man named Charlie (Carl Bradfield), determined to protect the children from potential harm.

As weeks pass, Halley’s desperation drives her to sell perfume door-to-door and, eventually, to resort to prostitution, all while hiding Moonee in the bathroom during appointments. Bobby finds himself in the middle of the fallout, defending Halley to potential clients, but he asserts strict boundaries to ensure the children’s safety.

Desperation intertwines with the harsh realities of life; Halley’s actions lead her to confrontations and strained relationships, culminating in a tense visit from authorities. When social services arrive to assess Halley and Moonee’s living conditions, tension mounts, forcing a dramatic climax.

As Moonee tries to escape her impending separation from Halley, she runs through the neighborhood, seeking solace in her friendship with Jancey. Together, they flee to the enchanting world of Walt Disney, darting through the park until they reach the Magic Kingdom castle, leaving viewers with a poignant and stirring conclusion to their tumultuous summer.