Nice 👍

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Awesome

Wish I remembered this was Sean Baker trash before randomly turning this on today. Turnt it off immediately on realizing what it was. Total trash like everything the writer/director puts out. He's certainly consistent.

When I attended a screening of this indie at the 2013 Glasgow Film Festival there were only four other people in the auditorium! But we happy few saw a real gem: Dree Hemingway plays a young * star who buys a flask from an old woman (Besedka Johnson), only to discover the flask contains several thousand dollars. When Johnson, thinking she's after a refund, refuses to discuss the flask, Hemingway resolves to do the older woman good turns instead, and gradually a relationship develops between the two. In a way it's a shame there's so much swearing and sexual content (including a scene of unsimulated sex) in the film, as the central soapy portrayal of the friendship between the two women means it would fit nicely in the inoffensive Sunday afternoon slot on BBC2, if it were more family-friendly. It's not perfect: Hemingway's Valley girl drawl is wearing at times, and some of the dialogue has the smell of "workshopped-dialogue-don't-know-how-to-bring-this-scene-to-a-close" about it, but minor gripes aside this is a nice character piece and I'd happily watch it again, even if it means breaking my 'no performing animals' rule (thankfully the dog - the 'Starlet' of the title - isn't asked to do anything dogs don't normally do).

21 year old * actress Jane (Dree Hemingway) lives an empty life while getting high with her roommates, Melissa (Stella Maeve) and Mikey (James Ransone). Jane happens upon elderly loner Sadie (Besedka Johnson)'s yard sale which leads to a stash of cash and an unlikely friendship. Dree is a likable actress with model good looks. She is not seasoned but good enough to play the ingenue. The movie moves at an easy pace. It has a natural feel but does drag in places. Stand out supporting acting comes from Stella Maeve. What it truly needs is more sense of danger that ramps up and increases as the movie advances. It has great possibilities but gets resolved a little too quickly.

STARLET (dir. Sean Baker) When 21 year old Jane discovers $10,000 in cash stuffed in a thermos that she bought at an old woman's yard sale, she tries to do the right thing and return the money. However, the old woman didn't know about the money (her long dead husband might have hidden the cash), so Jane befriends elderly Sadie in order to pay off the karmic debt. Because Jane's unusual occupation is not revealed until the film is almost half over, her illicit employment does not affect the natural relationship that grows between the two woman. A fine Independent film, and Dree Hemingway (Jane) and Besedka Johnson (Sadie) deliver exception performances. It must be mentioned that Jane's pet Chihuahua in the film is powerfully cute! Worth A Look.

Decided to see Sean Baker's previous work to get myself prepared for his recent film out in cinemas now 'The Florida Project'. Seeing 2012's 'Starlet' first up has gotten me even more psyched, because while not quite perfect 'Starlet' was a very impressive little film deserving to be better known. It may not be for everybody's tastes, but even with Baker's style and direction no being familiar to me it was hard not to fall under its spell. A few of the plot twists in 'Starlet' are perhaps executed a little too neatly and while the ending is very poignant it's slightly on the abrupt side as well. That's it though for the minor faults that are eclipsed by everything else that is done right. While it may take some getting used to for some, the sunny and slightly bleached colours and slightly off-kilter but very naturalistic filming (that's very evocative and not amateurish like it can be easily mistaken as). 'Starlet' really stands out in the writing, with a great balance of funny comedy, charming warmth, understated sweetness and touching drama. The story likewise, it really made me feel warm inside, it made me laugh, it surprised me, it charmed me and it moved me. It is easy for anybody to feel that the more explicit content is gratuitous, not to me, instead it felt sensual and real with an ability to shock that just added another layer to the drama. Baker's direction is adroit and he paces everything beautifully. The portrayal of an unlikely relationship is executed in a way that makes one laugh, cry and think. Can't say anything bad about the performances either, with a deservedly star-making lead performance from Dree Hemingway, who really is one to watch for anybody else unfamiliar to her before watching. The spikiness and vulnerability of that of Besedka Johnson makes one wonder how she wasn't discovered sooner (it is just as sad too that she died not long after the film's release). The dog Boonee as the titular character is absolutely adorable. In conclusion, a lovely film that shines brightly. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This movie had some potential, but that potential was ultimately unfulfilled. The initial idea: young woman befriends much older woman, looked like it might have some legs to it, especially with the money angle to it too. However, from the start the movie seemed a bit unoriginal - Harold and Maude sprang immediately to mind - and implausible. Some of the stuff that happens is just plain weird and contrived. Weaved in and out of this theme is Jane's (the young woman) other life, with her permanently-high flatmate, other friends and job. This varies from quite funny at times (the flatmate and friends) to downright gratuitous (the R-rated scenes). The * industry stuff was essentially just padding and titillation. It cheapened the movie, to a very large extent. Ending is interesting and does tie the movie together, but isn't that much of a shock or twist.