‘Red Rocket’
You absolutely need to go out of your way to watch Sean Baker’s Red Rocket. The filmmaker behind indie favorites Tangerine and The Florida Project returns with his most transfixing movie to date. Now available to rent on VOD, Red Rocket follows the journey of delusional ex-porn star Mikey Saber (Simon Rex), a charismatic con man who returns to his small Texas hometown, much to the chagrin of… almost everyone. Circling the drain of rock bottom, Mikey pursues a romantic relationship with an adolescent girl who he believes is his ticket back to Los Angeles. Featuring career-altering performances by Simon Rex and Suzanna Son, (and a truly mesmerizing stripped-down version of NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye”), Red Rocket is a magnetic, deeply evocative slice-of-life film that’s not to be missed.