Watching The Florida Project left me with a rare sense of gratitude for having seen it—something I haven’t felt for a film in a long time. Much like Moonee, our young protagonist, we’re all blissfully unaware of what’s to come. While the adults around her struggle to get by, the film’s almost documentary-like elements reinforce the realism of navigating poverty and instability with survival, humor, and love. That observational style makes the film feel raw, almost like a slice of life rather than a traditional narrative. In addition to the great performances and cinematography—and the fact that I’ll resonate with anything even mildly Floridian (shoutout to my home state!)—The Florida Project lingers because it captures both the resilience and fragility of its characters, making their joy and struggles feel heartbreakingly real.
