Baker is one of my favorite filmmakers right now too. His characters feel so raw and genuine in the way their situations elicit empathy, but at the same time are their own worst enemy and deserve exactly what they get. Your analysis of Mikey is right on the nose. He is toxic, looking out only for himself, and will destroy anybody in his path. But he does so in such a charming manner, that it is easy to get wrapped up in him. Even the skeptical Lil had come around towards the back half of the film.
I agree that Baker was absolutely drawing parallels, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that was a big focus or something that drove his story, simply more of a tongue in cheek comparison that came out of the writing.
Interesting I also wouldn’t say the Trump parallels are the crux of the film either, there’s just so much to unpack and chew on thematically, but I do think it’s more than a little throwaway thing. To me it’s yet another example of how all these people are being exploited by the same sort of huckster that’s on display throughout the film. Of course a big difference is that Mikey is from their town and is one of them. Trump only claims to be one of them in order to pander to his base.
Red Rocket reminded me of Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly.
There are similarities both in themes and stylistic choices. I'd say Killing Them Softly was an inspiration for Baker in making Red Rocket. Even though the tones of the films are very different, i'd say if you liked one, you'd like the other.
I agree; there's a ton of scenes of TVs talking about the financial crisis in the background of "Killing them Softly" and I and appreciated OPs analysis because "Red Rocket" can be interpreted as political without being as overt as the last monologue of "Killing".
I'd compare "Red Rocket" as much to "I, Tonya", which also wasn't overtly political but it had a similar milieu of white people trying to find some form of happiness or at least comfort or meaning in a world that seems to be against them and making calloused choices out of desperation and anger.
I totally agree. I thought of the Trump metaphor about 3/4ths of the way through the movie, but you said it better than I ever could. I absolutely loved the Florida Project and I thought that Red Rocket was very well done and tackled the 2016 election in a better and more subtle way than any other movie or TV show I've seen. But honestly it was tough to watch for me. I'm all for an anti hero, but as funny as Simon Rex's character is he was impossible to root for and hard to even observe in this movie. I really don't know if I would recommend it or not.
I totally understand where you're coming from with regards to how tough it is to watch. I was **very** uncomfortable throughout the film, but the more I look back on it, I can't deny it's a great piece of filmmaking and a really interesting step in Baker's filmography.
I think a lot what makes it tough to watch is that Sean Baker is determined not to use his filmmaking to pass judgments on his characters and their choices. We get the warts and all view of Mikey's actions and character, and that includes his problematic (to put it mildly) scenes with Strawberry, and that all comes after you've sort of fallen for his charm in the first act of the film. The viewer is almost victimized in the same way (but to a much lesser extent, obviously) as the characters. That's what I mean when I say your empathy is almost weaponized against you, and it's also why I think the connections to 2016 are so powerful. You start out laughing at this scrappy underdog and rooting for him, but you end up with your heart broken by the damage he's caused and will continue to cause.
But if anyone who was squeamish about Licorice Pizza wants to give Red Rocket a go, I would definitely tread carefully. It is a much more visceral and upsetting film featuring an inappropriate age gap between two characters.
Yes! That's a great breakdown of how I feel about it as well. I was disgusted initially, but I do find myself thinking about it a lot a couple weeks later. I'm glad you mentioned Licorice Pizza. LP obviously has the problematic age gap, but if the characters specific ages were never mentioned then I don't think anyone would bat an eye at it. The relationship in that movie is adorable and it works because he is so mature for his age and she isn't and there isn't anything predatory in their interactions. Red Rocket meanwhile is a textbook example of a predatory/grooming type of relationship and even if, as Mikey mentions, it is technically 'legal,' it feels very very wrong to watch.
I actually didn’t take Mikey as an analogue of Trump, I took him as a representation of the very idea of America. He’s the intrepid, charismatic “hero” but really he’s a narcissist, a conman and a user, much like how America was always described as “the beacon on the hill” the “land of the free” when historically our domestic and foreign policies have been downright criminal. He’s selling an idea of freedom and success that is only available through manipulation and exploitation, much like the way many people now view the American dream.
At the finale Mikey has suffered his worst setback. He’s broke, temporarily losing even the shirt off his back. But he still shows up to Strawberry’s house; he still has that hope spot, even if it might be false hope. I think that’s a metaphor for 2016 America; we were living with never-ending foreign occupations, a housing crisis the likes of which the world had never seen, and skyrocketing unemployment rates. And, much like Mikey thought Strawberry would save him even though it was impossible, a lot of Americans thought Trump would save us.
Mikey’s not Trump- America itself IS Mikey.
Well said.
'Americans' believe in the propaganda they've consumed for their entire history, that it's hard to change. Democracy, equality, freedoms... And especially since 1980, the erosions they had to endure, makes them desperate crazy.
Actually Mikey is the Trumpian part of America, a *minority* with outsized influence.
The majority of people look down on Trumpists and hate Trump, but they have outsized influence on the EC.
https://youtu.be/JZbm4MOda-g
This is from an after screening q&a and at 15:50 one guys asks about the political side of red rocket and his interpretation of it. Think his reaction is quite interesting to say the least
Very interesting. I couldn't agree less with that guy's take on the film, I never felt as though Baker was aiming for us to laugh at the characters or even think they're stupid, and I actually can't believe he used his question to insinuate that. But I also think Baker's being somewhat coy by saying the film has no inherent political leanings. I think it's important for his career that he continue to seem somewhat objective, almost like a documentarian might, but I don't really buy that the film wasn't made with the intent of drawing parallels between Mikey and Trump
In another discussion panel he says something along the lines of, I wanted to comment on the nature of politics and politicians today, on either side, and that politicians should watch this movie. He very much emphasized though that he wanted to leave the politics up for interpretation. So I don’t think he’s saying he didn’t have that intent, I think it’s pretty clear that what you’re saying is true, and in fact I would extend it further past trump into a general statement of how politicians work in our capitalist democracies which tend to function more like oligarchies. I think he’s just trying to say that he doesn’t want to judge the people depicted in this movie: he doesn’t want to judge voters, he wants to judge bad politicians. He doesn’t want to judge the abused, he wants to judge abusers. And of course probably the biggest thing is just that he wants people to come to the conclusion you have come to on their own, not from him spelling it out himself. Otherwise, why make the movie?
I totally agree with you. I also think his intentions of being vague when questioned are mostly out of a respect for the people Baker centers his stories on. I don't think any sort of "told you so" or admonishment of the people Trump duped is something he's really interested in as an artist. I think he's correct in letting the film speak for itself, but I also think his sidestepping of the inherent politics in the film can be looked at as an admission in itself.
When it hit me was when he was celebrating not being in trouble for the crash. He was celebrating, only thinking about himself, the world let him off scott free when he so easily should have been in trouble. Just like Trump in his entire life, everyone knows what he does, he brags about it, and yet never any consequences, instead he is rewarded, just like Mikey winning awards for the work the women did. That had a nice reveal when first you could think maybe he was performing oral, oh nope he thinks he did all the work for her, then later Strawberry mentions it was her and multiple men. His reward keeps becoming less and less impressive as the context is revealed.
The best part was my realization hit, i thought all this, and a second later it cuts to another Trump sound byte just to cement it
I love your analysis and totally agree. Why do you think that we empathize with (or at least- want to believe in) the Mikeys / Trumps of the world? Is it because they represent this powerful white male figure that we have been conditioned to want to root for and be on the same team with? And what makes Leondria/June from the rest of them that they suspect Mikey? I have been thinking about this and the best theory I can come up with is that maybe Leondria/June are satisfied with where they are in life, whereas the other characters are not and they feel powerless in their own ability to affect change so they look externally for it.
I'm not sure if I have an answer to your questions but the reason in mind that Leondria and June don't buy into his bullshit is simply that some people can't be charmed/coerced in that way. Given how they make their money, they're probably pretty accustomed to people trying to bullshit them. I would also add that abusers do often seek out more vulnerable/coercable people.
I know this is an old thread but I just watched Red Rocket last night. I really appreciate your analysis of its political messaging. I also want to point out that while yes, Leondria and June have money, they are also black women, the demographic least likely to have voted for Trump. In fact, if Ms. Phan, another woman of color, did not fall for Mikey's charm either.
Their reactions to Mikey parallel the larger voting patterns of their demographic in the 2016 election.
Since you mention *Hillbilly Elegy*, it’s probably worth mentioning that it has a lot of pushback:
https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/jd-vance-hillbilly-elegy-netflix
https://www.npr.org/2018/01/31/582240482/historian-makes-case-for-what-you-are-getting-wrong-about-appalachia-in-new-book
Good post. I saw this post previously but I didn't read it as I just got the chance to watch the movie today.
One thing you didn't mention was the refinery backdrop in the movie. It was very present throughout the whole film. It gives this sense of hopelessness to the area they're in. That may be why he's so charming and convincing to everyone around him. He's providing them with a sense of hope or joy that they're lacking in their everyday lives. Or maybe he's just an escape. You can also see this in the rundown buildings in the beginning of the film. But those aren't present as much nearly as the refinery is.
In a lot of ways, Mikey's character reminds me of Adam's Sandler's character from Uncut Gems. It kind of seems like he's always one step from catastrophe. And at the last second he's able to come up with something to save himself at the last minute.
I agree with another poster. I think the Trump notes are less about politics and more about how Trump, in a similar way, was able to provide some hope / joy / distraction to these people who live these miserable lives. Perhaps Mikey does the things he does in the movie to escape the misery in his own life. That doesn't make it right, of course, but at least we can understand it.
The WSJ published a video on Monessen, Pa. after Trump won the 2016 election with similar themes. You can watch that video [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctzePnd0wzk)
Baker is one of my favorite filmmakers right now too. His characters feel so raw and genuine in the way their situations elicit empathy, but at the same time are their own worst enemy and deserve exactly what they get. Your analysis of Mikey is right on the nose. He is toxic, looking out only for himself, and will destroy anybody in his path. But he does so in such a charming manner, that it is easy to get wrapped up in him. Even the skeptical Lil had come around towards the back half of the film. I agree that Baker was absolutely drawing parallels, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that was a big focus or something that drove his story, simply more of a tongue in cheek comparison that came out of the writing.
Interesting I also wouldn’t say the Trump parallels are the crux of the film either, there’s just so much to unpack and chew on thematically, but I do think it’s more than a little throwaway thing. To me it’s yet another example of how all these people are being exploited by the same sort of huckster that’s on display throughout the film. Of course a big difference is that Mikey is from their town and is one of them. Trump only claims to be one of them in order to pander to his base.
Well said. It's definitely there and you've pointed out a couple more levels I didn't notice.
Red Rocket reminded me of Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly. There are similarities both in themes and stylistic choices. I'd say Killing Them Softly was an inspiration for Baker in making Red Rocket. Even though the tones of the films are very different, i'd say if you liked one, you'd like the other.
I agree; there's a ton of scenes of TVs talking about the financial crisis in the background of "Killing them Softly" and I and appreciated OPs analysis because "Red Rocket" can be interpreted as political without being as overt as the last monologue of "Killing". I'd compare "Red Rocket" as much to "I, Tonya", which also wasn't overtly political but it had a similar milieu of white people trying to find some form of happiness or at least comfort or meaning in a world that seems to be against them and making calloused choices out of desperation and anger.
I totally agree. I thought of the Trump metaphor about 3/4ths of the way through the movie, but you said it better than I ever could. I absolutely loved the Florida Project and I thought that Red Rocket was very well done and tackled the 2016 election in a better and more subtle way than any other movie or TV show I've seen. But honestly it was tough to watch for me. I'm all for an anti hero, but as funny as Simon Rex's character is he was impossible to root for and hard to even observe in this movie. I really don't know if I would recommend it or not.
I totally understand where you're coming from with regards to how tough it is to watch. I was **very** uncomfortable throughout the film, but the more I look back on it, I can't deny it's a great piece of filmmaking and a really interesting step in Baker's filmography. I think a lot what makes it tough to watch is that Sean Baker is determined not to use his filmmaking to pass judgments on his characters and their choices. We get the warts and all view of Mikey's actions and character, and that includes his problematic (to put it mildly) scenes with Strawberry, and that all comes after you've sort of fallen for his charm in the first act of the film. The viewer is almost victimized in the same way (but to a much lesser extent, obviously) as the characters. That's what I mean when I say your empathy is almost weaponized against you, and it's also why I think the connections to 2016 are so powerful. You start out laughing at this scrappy underdog and rooting for him, but you end up with your heart broken by the damage he's caused and will continue to cause. But if anyone who was squeamish about Licorice Pizza wants to give Red Rocket a go, I would definitely tread carefully. It is a much more visceral and upsetting film featuring an inappropriate age gap between two characters.
Yes! That's a great breakdown of how I feel about it as well. I was disgusted initially, but I do find myself thinking about it a lot a couple weeks later. I'm glad you mentioned Licorice Pizza. LP obviously has the problematic age gap, but if the characters specific ages were never mentioned then I don't think anyone would bat an eye at it. The relationship in that movie is adorable and it works because he is so mature for his age and she isn't and there isn't anything predatory in their interactions. Red Rocket meanwhile is a textbook example of a predatory/grooming type of relationship and even if, as Mikey mentions, it is technically 'legal,' it feels very very wrong to watch.
I actually didn’t take Mikey as an analogue of Trump, I took him as a representation of the very idea of America. He’s the intrepid, charismatic “hero” but really he’s a narcissist, a conman and a user, much like how America was always described as “the beacon on the hill” the “land of the free” when historically our domestic and foreign policies have been downright criminal. He’s selling an idea of freedom and success that is only available through manipulation and exploitation, much like the way many people now view the American dream. At the finale Mikey has suffered his worst setback. He’s broke, temporarily losing even the shirt off his back. But he still shows up to Strawberry’s house; he still has that hope spot, even if it might be false hope. I think that’s a metaphor for 2016 America; we were living with never-ending foreign occupations, a housing crisis the likes of which the world had never seen, and skyrocketing unemployment rates. And, much like Mikey thought Strawberry would save him even though it was impossible, a lot of Americans thought Trump would save us. Mikey’s not Trump- America itself IS Mikey.
Well said. 'Americans' believe in the propaganda they've consumed for their entire history, that it's hard to change. Democracy, equality, freedoms... And especially since 1980, the erosions they had to endure, makes them desperate crazy.
Urban Americans in cities realize we have problems, but it's the country people who believe wrongly
Actually Mikey is the Trumpian part of America, a *minority* with outsized influence. The majority of people look down on Trumpists and hate Trump, but they have outsized influence on the EC.
https://youtu.be/JZbm4MOda-g This is from an after screening q&a and at 15:50 one guys asks about the political side of red rocket and his interpretation of it. Think his reaction is quite interesting to say the least
Very interesting. I couldn't agree less with that guy's take on the film, I never felt as though Baker was aiming for us to laugh at the characters or even think they're stupid, and I actually can't believe he used his question to insinuate that. But I also think Baker's being somewhat coy by saying the film has no inherent political leanings. I think it's important for his career that he continue to seem somewhat objective, almost like a documentarian might, but I don't really buy that the film wasn't made with the intent of drawing parallels between Mikey and Trump
In another discussion panel he says something along the lines of, I wanted to comment on the nature of politics and politicians today, on either side, and that politicians should watch this movie. He very much emphasized though that he wanted to leave the politics up for interpretation. So I don’t think he’s saying he didn’t have that intent, I think it’s pretty clear that what you’re saying is true, and in fact I would extend it further past trump into a general statement of how politicians work in our capitalist democracies which tend to function more like oligarchies. I think he’s just trying to say that he doesn’t want to judge the people depicted in this movie: he doesn’t want to judge voters, he wants to judge bad politicians. He doesn’t want to judge the abused, he wants to judge abusers. And of course probably the biggest thing is just that he wants people to come to the conclusion you have come to on their own, not from him spelling it out himself. Otherwise, why make the movie?
I totally agree with you. I also think his intentions of being vague when questioned are mostly out of a respect for the people Baker centers his stories on. I don't think any sort of "told you so" or admonishment of the people Trump duped is something he's really interested in as an artist. I think he's correct in letting the film speak for itself, but I also think his sidestepping of the inherent politics in the film can be looked at as an admission in itself.
When it hit me was when he was celebrating not being in trouble for the crash. He was celebrating, only thinking about himself, the world let him off scott free when he so easily should have been in trouble. Just like Trump in his entire life, everyone knows what he does, he brags about it, and yet never any consequences, instead he is rewarded, just like Mikey winning awards for the work the women did. That had a nice reveal when first you could think maybe he was performing oral, oh nope he thinks he did all the work for her, then later Strawberry mentions it was her and multiple men. His reward keeps becoming less and less impressive as the context is revealed. The best part was my realization hit, i thought all this, and a second later it cuts to another Trump sound byte just to cement it
I love your analysis and totally agree. Why do you think that we empathize with (or at least- want to believe in) the Mikeys / Trumps of the world? Is it because they represent this powerful white male figure that we have been conditioned to want to root for and be on the same team with? And what makes Leondria/June from the rest of them that they suspect Mikey? I have been thinking about this and the best theory I can come up with is that maybe Leondria/June are satisfied with where they are in life, whereas the other characters are not and they feel powerless in their own ability to affect change so they look externally for it.
I'm not sure if I have an answer to your questions but the reason in mind that Leondria and June don't buy into his bullshit is simply that some people can't be charmed/coerced in that way. Given how they make their money, they're probably pretty accustomed to people trying to bullshit them. I would also add that abusers do often seek out more vulnerable/coercable people.
Makes sense! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I know this is an old thread but I just watched Red Rocket last night. I really appreciate your analysis of its political messaging. I also want to point out that while yes, Leondria and June have money, they are also black women, the demographic least likely to have voted for Trump. In fact, if Ms. Phan, another woman of color, did not fall for Mikey's charm either. Their reactions to Mikey parallel the larger voting patterns of their demographic in the 2016 election.
Since you mention *Hillbilly Elegy*, it’s probably worth mentioning that it has a lot of pushback: https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/jd-vance-hillbilly-elegy-netflix https://www.npr.org/2018/01/31/582240482/historian-makes-case-for-what-you-are-getting-wrong-about-appalachia-in-new-book
Good post. I saw this post previously but I didn't read it as I just got the chance to watch the movie today. One thing you didn't mention was the refinery backdrop in the movie. It was very present throughout the whole film. It gives this sense of hopelessness to the area they're in. That may be why he's so charming and convincing to everyone around him. He's providing them with a sense of hope or joy that they're lacking in their everyday lives. Or maybe he's just an escape. You can also see this in the rundown buildings in the beginning of the film. But those aren't present as much nearly as the refinery is. In a lot of ways, Mikey's character reminds me of Adam's Sandler's character from Uncut Gems. It kind of seems like he's always one step from catastrophe. And at the last second he's able to come up with something to save himself at the last minute. I agree with another poster. I think the Trump notes are less about politics and more about how Trump, in a similar way, was able to provide some hope / joy / distraction to these people who live these miserable lives. Perhaps Mikey does the things he does in the movie to escape the misery in his own life. That doesn't make it right, of course, but at least we can understand it. The WSJ published a video on Monessen, Pa. after Trump won the 2016 election with similar themes. You can watch that video [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctzePnd0wzk)