Starlet (film)

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Starlet

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sean S. Baker
Produced by Blake Ashman
Sean Baker
Kevin Chinoy
Patrick Cunningham
Chris Maybach
Francesca Silvestri
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Written by Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch
Starring Dree Hemingway
Besedka Johnson
Stella Maeve
James Ransone
Karren Karagulian
Editing by Sean Baker
Studio Maybach Cunningham
Freestyle Picture Company
Cre Film
Mangusta Productions
Distributed by Music Box Films
Release dates 9 November 2012
Running time 103 min
Country United States
Language English

STARLET is a 2012 independent dramatic film by director Sean Baker starring Dree Hemingway and newcomer Besedka Johnson. Starlet explores the unlikely friendship between 21 year-old Jane and 85 year-old Sadie, two women whose worlds collide in California's San Fernando Valley.

Plot

Jane (Dree Hemingway) is a presumably unemployed young woman who lives in an apartment with her two dysfunctional roommates, Melissa (Stella Maeve), Melissa's boyfriend Mikey (James Ransone), and her Chihuahua dog Starlet. Jane decides that she wants to make the room more her own by painting it and buying new furniture. Melissa says the room can't be painted because Mikey needs it for "shoots". Jane decideds to buy new furniture and to save money, she decides to buy the stuff at neighborhood yard sales. After picking up items from other yard sales that day, she comes across one of an old woman named Sadie (Besedka Johnson). She buys a thermos from her and goes back to the apartment to decorate her room.

While listening to an argument between Melissa and Mikey, she discovers a stash of money while cleaning the thermos. She spends some of the money on personal things such as an elaborate manicure, new clothes, and a blinged out leash for Starlet. However, she decides to return the money to Sadie, but when she goes to Sadie's house to try and return it, Sadie dismisses her. Jane keeps the money for herself and decides to follow Sadie as she takes a cab heading to the grocery store. While Sadie is shopping, Jane decides to pay the cab and send it away so she can offer Sadie a ride, which Sadie reluctantly accepts. The two women spend time together in Sadie's house, and Jane gives her number to a skeptical Sadie and tells her to call her if she needs anything.

Jane then joins Sadie the next day at bingo because Sadie said the previous day that she plays every Saturday. Jane once again pays off Sadie's taxi so she can drive her home. On the way Jane asks an innocent question, which prompts Sadie to mace Jane thinking she's only a scam artist. The two talk to the police and Jane explains that she is just being friendly, then leaves visibly angry. Sadie calls Jane the next day wanting to reconcile after she realized that Jane was just being a friendly samaritan. Over the next several days, Jane spends more time with Sadie and learns that she's a widow and she adores Paris but has never been.

Melissa is fired from her job but after Jane convinces their boss to reconsider, he decides to freeze Melissa from work for a month. It is discovered that Melissa and Jane are adult film stars and Jane consequently gets a promotion over Melissa. While Jane is at work, she leaves Starlet with Sadie, and Sadie eventually loses sight of the dog while tending to her garden. Sadie desperately sets out to look for Starlet and finds him. When Jane arrives to retrieve Starlet, Sadie seems troubled and wants to put an end to their friendship, which upsets Jane. After having a talk with Melissa who says she should spend the money on someone else instead of herself, Jane, to make Sadie feel better, and reconcile their friendship, buys two first class tickets to Paris for Sadie and herself and books a week at a fancy hotel, using the money she found in the thermos. When Jane tells Sadie of the trip she has planned for them at a bingo game, Sadie refuses to go. Wanting Sadie to go on the trip, knowing she would love it, she convinces Sadie that if she wins at bingo than Sadie has to go on the trip. Jane buys 25 bingo cards but loses because Sadie wins after a dry spell of a year and a half. Even though she lost, Jane still tries to convince Sadie to go, which she ultimately agrees to.

Back at the apartment, Melissa lashes at Jane after finding out she spent all the money on Sadie instead of her. Jane strikes back at Melissa who then kicks Jane out of the apartment. While Jane is at work, Melissa goes to Sadie's house and tells her about the stash of money which is the reason that Jane was being friendly to her. However, Sadie isn't taken aback as to what Melissa has to say. Later, Jane, unknown of Sadie's knowledge about the money, picks her up from her home to go to the airport. Sadie tells Jane to stop and deliver the flowers at the cemetery to pay tribute to her husband. Jane places the flowers and notices the grave of Sadie's deceased daughter alongside her husband. She then gets back to Sadie and drives away.

Production

Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch collaborated on the screenplay for Starlet from November 2010 through summer 2011. Starlet began production in August 2011 and wrapped the following month. The film was shot entirely in Los Angeles. Music Box Films acquired domestic distribution rights to Starlet[1] and released the film in August 2012.[2]

Reception

Starlet premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March 2012[3] and had its international premiere in main competition at the Locarno International Film Festival in August 2012.[2]

IndieWire calls Starlet a "provocative showcase for newcomer Dree Hemingway"[4] while Variety called Starlet "beautifully understated".[5] The Hollywood Reporter added that Starlet "pairs story and setting together perfectly"[6] and Movieline felt that the film was "surprisingly sweet".[7] The Playlist wrote that the film "signals the arrival of Dree Hemingway as one to watch".[8]

Starlet currently has an 88% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[9]

Cast

  • Dree Hemingway as Jane
  • Besedka Johnson as Sadie
  • Stella Maeve as Melissa
  • James Ransone as Mikey
  • Karren Karagulian as Arash
  • Michael Adrienne O'Hagan as Janice
  • Asa Akira as Herself
  • Manuel Ferrara as Himself
  • Amin Joseph as Shadow
  • Nick Santoro as F.J. Sloan
  • Kurt Leitner as Insurance Agent
  • Victoria Tate as Insurance Agent
  • Josh Sussman as Zana Fan
  • Chris Bergoch as Poor Schlub
  • Lily Labeau as POV Performer
  • Zoe Voss as Tess Body Double
  • Cesar Garcia as Repo Man
  • Dean Andre as Cab Driver
  • Liz Beebe as Gracie
  • Dave Bean as Police Officer #1
  • Eliezer Ortiz as Police Officer #2
  • Paul H. Kim as Set Photographer
  • Eric Eckstein as Tess Fan
  • Kristina Rose as Performer at convention

References

  1. ↑ "Music Box picks up Baker's 'Starlet'". Variety. Retrieved 16 May 2012. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Locarno Film Festival unveils lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. 11 July 2012. 
  3. ↑ "Schedule". SXSW 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012. 
  4. ↑ "SXSW REVIEW: Sean Baker's 'Starlet' a Provocative Showcase for Newcomer Dree Hemingway". IndieWire. Retrieved 24 July 2012. 
  5. ↑ "SXSW REVIEW: STARLET". Variety. Retrieved 13 March 2012. 
  6. ↑ "Starlet: SXSW Review". THR. Retrieved 17 March 2012. 
  7. ↑ "SXSW REVIEW: Sean Baker's 'Starlet' a Provocative Showcase for Newcomer Dree Hemingway". IndieWire. Retrieved 24 July 2012. 
  8. ↑ "SXSW '12 Review: Secrets, Revelations & An Unlikely Friendship Emerge In The Compelling 'Starlet'". IndieWire. Retrieved 14 March 2012. 
  9. ↑ As of November, 2013. Rotten Tomatoes: Starlet (2012)

External links


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