There’s something about the artistry of Sean Baker that seems both reliable and revolutionary – having achieved breakthrough recognition with his groundbreaking comedy Tangerine just under a decade ago (which came after a few years of mainly obscure work that went unnoticed by anyone not invested in the details of contemporary independent cinema), he has consistently been touted as one of the great talents of his generation, someone whose renegade spirit is only matched by his ability to tell resonant stories that often touch on the most raw nerves of the human condition, often done through the effective combination of achingly beautiful drama and outrageously funny dark comedy, both of which are regularly found in his work. His most recent offering is the delightfully irreverent Red Rocket, in which he tells the story of a washed-up adult film star forced to retreat back to his working-class roots in Texas City in the hopes of making some money to keep himself afloat. Another absolute triumph from a filmmaker who has pushed boundaries, both narratively and artistically, for as long as he has been directing films, Red Rocket is something truly special, a potent reminder to the power of independent cinema in telling the stories that are not found in the mainstream, and the wonderful feeling that comes when the viewer is shaken to their core by subject matter that is controversial and provocative (while never going too far, keeping a general feeling of genuine earnestness) – and Baker continues to ascend to the position of one of the most fascinating directors working in the medium today, someone whose output has been consistently strong, almost to the point where it seems like he is gradually flourishing into one of our most celebrated auteurs, for a number of reasons.

Baker’s general modus operandi when crafting these films is simply to tell stories about ordinary people. One of the most significant details we learn about him as a director is that he enjoys casting non-professional actors, with the majority of the roles in his films played by people he encounters on a daily basis, with a few well-known stars thrown in with them to create a very different kind of ensemble-based story. It may be bold, but Baker’s films are some of the closest we are going to get in terms of modern depictions of the genre commonly known as kitchen-sink realism, the movement founded in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom) that traded cinematic flourish and flair for authenticity, centring on genuine depictions of everyday life for individuals that would not normally register had they not been the subject of such films. Red Rocket continues this pattern, with Baker punctuating the vivid portrait of life in working-class Texas with a few well-placed moments of absurdism, which would not normally register as such an interesting choice had it not been clear what his intentions were in telling a story this way. In the process of deconstructing the format to reflect his own interests and curiosities in capturing reality in a coherent and interesting way, Baker manages to touch on some profoundly deep themes, which certainly does situate Red Rocket amongst the works of early Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, with the same deep and insightful social commentary contrasting sharply with some truly irreverent, shocking humour that will ruffle a few feathers, but earn even more admirers the more those who can look beyond the more lurid comedy. That’s the exciting aspect of Baker’s work – it seems like every new project sheds light on his career as a filmmaker, with audiences becoming more aware of his talents, which steadily set him on his way to becoming one of the most essential voices in modern cinema, and each film is a well-conceived, perfectly-calibrated social odyssey that are equal parts hilarious and sobering when it comes to a number of issues embedded in the story.

Sometimes life imitates art, and vice versa – so when it comes to casting the role of a former adult film star, what better place to look than with someone who actually has experience in the industry? Simon Rex is not particularly well-known to general audiences, with his storied career seeing him play minor roles in a few lowbrow comedies, as well as time spent in a range of other industries, including working as a video jockey and model. However, his early career was spent making some money in the world of adult entertainment, and while he has subsequently become something of a more established actor as a result of pursuing opportunities, Rex is far from being respected enough to be someone we could expect to lead a film like this. Yet, he came through and gave one of the most surprising performances of the year, proving that he is an unexpectedly charismatic actors. While the role seems easy in theory (especially since he is playing a character that shared experiences with the actor), it’s an oddly complex character, with Baker refusing to do Rex any favours. The screenplay is quite dense, with Rex having to not only memorize several complex lines, some of which take the form of an extended soliloquy, he needs to sell each and every one, conveying the deep desperation without losing the street-smart wit. It’s a brilliant performance that proves that sometimes the best work comes from the most unexpected sources. It does take some time to fully acclimate to Rex’s performance, but once he hits his stride, it becomes a flawless journey in how he and Baker work closely together to develop this riveting story about a man trying to find his way through a hostile world, which is only made worse by the fact that he doesn’t quite fit into any part of decent society, if such a concept even exists. 

Undeniably, Baker is not a director who necessarily wants his audience to feel all that comfortable. His films aren’t excruciating or scarring in any significant way, and he doesn’t intentionally try and disturb his viewers beyond the generally provocative content that defines his films. However, Baker is not afraid to court some controversy, which normally comes about when we look at the collision between his subjects, who we’ve already mentioned mainly consist of people living on the margins of society, and their various daily challenges, which are obviously very different from those who lead more conventional lives. Whether a pair of transgender sex workers, a teenage mother or a pornographic film actor, the director constantly refuses to tell the stories that we’ve seen many times before, instead choosing to focus on those that don’t have the opportunity to be at the centre of such films. It often feels as if Baker has crafted his whole career as a way of giving a voice to those who don’t have a platform, which is particularly resonant when he affords compassion to those who exist outside of mainstream society based solely on their life choices, rather than anything inherent to them as individuals. He has a profound interest in people who don’t quite fit in, and while he is not the first artist to be curious about exploring the stories of individuals from within marginalized groups, Baker’s perspective is never once exploitative or callous, and it doesn’t ever feel as if he is taking advantage of his subjects. We are laughing along with them, and they’re always in on the joke – in Baker’s world, the people who should be the subject of ire and scorn are those who dare challenge the protagonist and question their humanity, with the most unforgettable villain being the establishment itself, which Baker creatively challenges throughout his films. Perhaps referring to an adult film star as being part of a marginalized group is somewhat of a controversial statement, conversations surrounding sex workers and their role in society make Red Rocket extremely poignant.

Herein lies the reality of this film – Red Rocket is a film about people seeking redemption, another common theme in Baker’s work, and probably the one concept that persists throughout all of his films, being most potent here. The main character in this film is a man filled with remorse, enough to force him to re-enter the town he vowed he’d leave behind, hat in hand, entirely apologetic for his past misdeeds, while still having enough pride to know his worth, even if he has to intentionally degrade himself purely for the sake of achieving something for the greater good. There’s a very sobering aspect to how Baker contrasts the wacky comedy with a genuinely insightful glimpse into the mind of a man whose only failure was hubris, believing that two decades in the adult film industry and a few meaningless prizes mean he is somehow a much bigger deal than he is, which conceals the fact that he’s a broken, deeply unhappy individual that simply strives to lead a normal life, one that isn’t mired by controversy or tension, even if this is the only way he knows how to achieve results. There’s an abundance of subtext to the film – setting it in early 2016 was not a mistake, since the Texas setting adds layers of socio-political commentary, particularly with the impending election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States (an event that would have been celebrated in this extremely conservative, working-class town), the small, foreshadowing references to his shocking victory are interwoven excellently into the film, creating a story that is about a man making his way back into his past, where he strives to be accepted by the exact kind of people he tried to avoid by leaving in the first place. It’s peculiar depiction of the process of remorse, but Baker understands how to layer meaning into every scene, making even the most outrageous moments meaningful in their own specific way.

The best way to describe Red Rocket would essentially be if John Waters had decided to direct a social realist fable set in the Deep South, with the irreverent humour, sexual freedom and underlying satire of the class system being something that clearly has a place in independent cinema. Obviously, this requires us to have quite a frank discussion around the themes of the film – on the surface, it does seem as if Baker was trying to trivialize the working-class and their very myopic view of the world. The majority of the characters in this story are bordering on poverty, and seem to be quite happy living in absolute squalor – it would have been far too easy to exploit these individuals for the sake of comedy. Yet, Baker is always punching upwards, and everyone who deserves their comeuppance receives it in the end, even if the ending isn’t particularly happy (although that is up to interpretation, being one of the occasional moments of magic realism that populate this otherwise straightforward narrative). As a whole, Red Rocket is a fantastic comedy filled with magnificent performances (particularly in regards to Rex – this is one of the rare career revivals that feels entirely organic and earned), and told by a director with a ferocious compassion for his subjects, who become increasingly more complex the more time we spend with them. An absolute triumph in terms of both form and content, this film is absolutely spellbinding, and quite simply a major work that is going to be the source of much discussion in coming years, and for something as daring and provocative as this, I’d say that’s a perfect destiny.