The Florida Project

The Florida Project has built a devoted audience in Australia on Stan, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV among viewers who want their drama to earn its emotional beats. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 3,121 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Brooklynn Prince — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Put it on tonight on Stan and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, The Florida Project earns its spot. The Florida Project trusts its audience to sit with discomfort instead of resolving it too quickly. The story of a precocious six year-old and her ragtag group of friends whose summer break is filled with childhood wonder, possibility and a sense of adventure while the adults around them struggle with hard times. Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. It was released in 2017. The Florida Project resists tidy resolutions in a way that respects how messy real consequences actually are. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

The Florida Project is what you recommend to people who say they do not really watch much. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Brooklynn Prince is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.