Every Sean Baker Movie, Ranked

The last three films in this list are excellent, but there’s something truly special about The Florida Project. While the life and limitations of a sex worker are once again a focus for Baker here, it is the impact of parenthood, both on mother and child, that really forms the beating heart of this stunning picture. Amateur actor Bria Viante is sensational as troubled mother Halley, while Willem Dafoe is typically fantastic in a significant supporting role. But it is the young Brooklynn Prince who shines the brightest as our playful protagonist, Moonee. 

As her spirited defiance gives way to a softer, more vulnerable nature, our heart breaks for this child who so desperately wants to dive headfirst into all the things children love to do, yet is severely inhibited by the life she was born into. It’s crazy to think that only Dafoe earned an Oscar nomination for his role here. The Florida Project, in general, was massively overlooked in 2018, but it’s garnered quite the cult following since. This is one of those films that I rewatch every couple of years, and it just gets better and better every time.

Tangerine bears plenty of similarities with its latest sibling, Anora. Yet while the latter leans into Baker’s more absurd and outlandish tendencies, his 2015 film is much more grounded and thought-provoking, which, as a result, leads to a far more impactful climax as the story of transgender sex workers, Sin-Dee Rella and Alexandra, comes to a head.

While plenty of filmmakers have shot on an iPhone since, Baker’s effort on Tangerine is far from a gimmick; instead, it lends a richness and realism to his work. I remember when this movie came out and I heard about the way it was made – it blew my mind, to be honest, and made me want to get out there and make films myself. Sadly, I was nowhere near as good as Baker, so I quit and decided to just watch films like Tangerine instead. It’s a complete package, really: Tangerine is beautiful to look at, has a gripping narrative, and showcases creative filmmaking at its finest. Plus, it’s sub-90 minutes and on Prime Video, so what are you waiting for?

Anora is Baker’s critical darling, but it’s not even his best film. That says a lot about the quality of his work, though, as Anora is still a superbly crafted cat-and-mouse story full of mayhem, slapstick violence, and some truly emotional moments. The film relies so heavily on Mikey Madison’s Oscar-winning turn as the titular character; she’s so good here that you forget you’re watching an actor for the most part. Still, if you’re looking for the MVP, it’s actually Yura Borisov, who plays the tragically sweet Igor – where was his Oscar, huh?

We love movies like Anora, as anxiety-inducing and disorderly as they are. Baker does a fine job of capturing a sense of surrealism and taking things to the extreme before crashing back down to Earth with a sobering bite of reality and genuine sincerity. It’s impossible to shake comparisons to something like Uncut Gems, with so much chaos packed into the runtime, but an undercurrent of humour makes it all bearable. That said, there are very few films that have left me feeling quite as crushed by the time the credits roll (Aftersun is another example) that I can’t even bear to move – get ready to be caught totally off guard by the final moments of this movie. 

Fair warning: please don’t watch this movie with your parents, as there is A LOT of sex and it’ll just be awkward!

There’s a really big divide between Baker’s first four movies and his more recent efforts. Indeed, we could have put the next few films in any order and would have been pretty happy with the ranking, but fine margins split the pack, and the highly entertaining Red Rocket just ends up on the outside here. It’s a very good movie, it’s just not quite as gripping as the top three.

Yes, the concept of the film is a bit uncomfortable (think Lolita but less subtle), but that’s the point, and Simon Rex does a stellar job of making the eccentric, at times reprehensible Mikey, a character that just toes the line perfectly between being unlikable and oddly endearing. His chemistry with Suzanna Son is, frankly, mesmerising at times, and the pair deserve credit for turning a potentially problematic film into something unusually sweet and very, very funny. Best of all, it seems to have universal appeal – I watched Red Rocket with my rather picky partner, and she was a fan.

By 2012, Baker had a lot more experience under his belt, and that is abundantly clear within the first minutes of Starlet. Simply put, this is just a far better experience than his previous three movies in terms of the narrative and the acting on display, and it’s far superior on a technical level, too. The camera work is sharper, the editing is slicker, and the whole thing just feels more nuanced and refined.

The talents of Dree Hemingway in the lead role carry Starlet, while Besedka Johnson is fantastic in support. There’s a lot to be said for the fact that Baker clearly had a bigger budget here, and while some filmmakers might lose control of things given that much freedom, it definitely had the opposite effect here, letting Baker’s craft shine. That he relinquished control of the camera to focus on directing duties is a decision that absolutely paid off, too. Again, you’ll have to pay to watch this one on Apple TV, but it’s the first in this list that I would say is absolutely worth the time and money.

Baker teamed up with Taiwanese director, producer, and actor Shih-Ching Tsou for his sophomore effort, and his collaborator definitely brought out a more adventurous side to his work. Take Out is far from perfect, though, containing all the flaws you’re likely to see in this level of indie filmmaking. 

Still, we have to give credit to Baker here for stepping out of his comfort zone and taking on a far more challenging narrative than his debut. There’s just something about the aesthetic here that’s oddly captivating, and once again, Baker’s penchant for realism shines through, elevating Take Out beyond its means. The highest compliment I can pay to this film is that it reminded me a little bit of La Haine – the best French movie ever made, IMO – largely due to its gritty tone and the fact that its story is contained within such a short period of time.

While Prince of Broadway still bears the same gritty, low-budget vibes of its predecessors, there’s a certain flair and panache about the visual side of things here, and Baker really manages to delve into the kinetic energy of the streets of New York with his camerawork – Baker is in charge of cinematography for this one, too.

It’s a film which is certainly not lacking in style, and there’s a lot of creativity and heart flowing through this picture. Unfortunately, the story just isn’t quite engaging enough to boost Prince of Broadway higher up this list, but it’s still a solid piece of filmmaking. If you like Taika Waititi’s Boy, but want something a little more serious, this might be up your street. The only snag is you’ll have to pay for the privilege at the time of writing, as the film is only available on Apple TV+.

Directorial debuts are always tricky, and Four Letter Words is very obviously the sign of a filmmaker with lots of promise, big ideas, and raw ability, but someone with lots to work out and refine, too. It’s a film which struggles with pacing and character development, but you can’t deny that it does its best on a low budget. Plus, it’s only just over 80 minutes long, which makes it all the more palatable.

Four Letter Words is reminiscent of Kevin Smith’s slacker comedies of the 1990s like Clerks and Mallrats, but it lacks the charm and endearing qualities of its influences. But even from this early work, you can clearly see what interests Baker, and that’s fascinating in itself. If you’re still keen to watch this one, however, we have bad news: It’s only available for streaming in Spain at the moment – but keep an eye out here for a future UK re-release.