Tangerine (2015)

Obviously an important film, both in terms of representation (trans sex workers) and in terms of execution (famously shot on iPhones.) But much like Sean Baker’s later work The Florida Project, I found the movie quite difficult to watch. There’s a particular freneticism to the trauma he films that I have trouble processing (so much yelling) and, while there’s undoubtedly some honesty there, it does overlap with my work as a therapist in a way I struggle with. There are also some cringe-y tonal shifts here and I’m not always sure our hearts are in the same place (although of course that’s a big judgment to make.) Anyway, all in all I respect this effort (and hope to see Mya Taylor again) but won’t be returning to it.