Day 43 Tangerine [2015]
Screenplay Sean
Baker & Chris Bergoch
Director Sean
Baker
Cinematography Sean
Baker & Radium Cheung
Music Matthey
Hearon-Smith
Leads Kitani Kiki
Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, James Ransone
Production Duplass Brothers
Productions, Through Films
IMDb 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes 97%
After loving Florida Project so much I had
to see what else Sean Baker had made and I was certainly not disappointed. This
film is filmed entirely on an iPhone 5, an iPhone 5! You would never be
able to tell as it is shot really well. It’s called Tangerine because of
the orange LA sky at dusk, it’s wonderful light to shoot in. The film follows
Alexandra and Sin-Dee, two transgender sex workers. They meet after Sin-Dee
gets out of jail and Alexandra lets it slip that Sin-Dee’s boyfriend (and pimp)
has a new girlfriend. This sends Sin-Dee on a warpath to find the bi*** who
stole her boyfriend Chester and that’s pretty much all the film is about. There
is a sub-story as we follow Armenian taxi driver Razmik who uses the
trans-gender sex workers even though he has a wife and kid. It’s just great. It’s
hilarious and mad, but also sad, the friendship between Alexandra and Sin-Dee
is what makes the film so great. The film culminates as everyone ends up back
where the film started, it’s utter chaos. Mya Taylor gave my favourite performance
and Kiki Rodriguez plays crazy to perfection. Baker once again catches us off
guard with poignant moments, having showered us with funny ones. The scene in
the laundromat is tantamount to this. I loved it and you will too.
Acting 3
/ 4
Writing 3.5 / 4
Cinematography 3.5
/ 4
Music 3
/ 4
HWF rating 3.5 / 4