RED ROCKET

This audacious new film from writer-director Sean Baker (The Florida Project, Tangerine) stars Simon Rex in a magnetic, live-wire performance as Mikey Saber, a washed-up, adult film star. Flat broke and scheming, Mikey is back home in his tiny town of Texas City, Texas after a Los Angeles flameout, hoping to move back in with his estranged wife and mother-in-law. They shouldn’t let him in, but they do. Mikey, with his over-the-top charisma and ingratiating appeal, is a slick operator who seems able to manipulate just about every situation. At the Donut Hole, Mikey meets Strawberry, a high school student with her own dreams of stardom -- he’s soon convinced she’ll be his winning ticket back to the adult film industry. With no moral judgment, Baker is known for crafting impressively open-minded movies that are both compassionate and clear-eyed. This film is no exception. Red Rocket is a darkly funny, raw and humane portrait of an American hustler and a hometown that barely tolerates him. Featuring a terrific cast, Red Rocket is the recipient of MFF’s 2021 Ensemble Cast Award. Award Presentation and conversation with director Sean Baker and cast immediately following screening. Moderated by Variety's Awards Editor, Clayton Davis.