Starlet (2012)

An unlikely friendship forms between 21 year-old Jane and the elderly Sadie after Jane discovers a hidden stash of money inside an object at Sadie's yard sale.

Director:

Sean Baker

Writers:

Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch

Stars:

Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Boonee

5 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dree Hemingway	...	Jane
Boonee	...	Starlet
Stella Maeve	...	Melissa
Sheri Vecchio	...	Yard Sale People
Robert Malmuth	...	Yard Sale People
Justin Boyd	...	Yard Sale People
Tracy Correll	...	Yard Sale People
Leo Garcia	...	Yard Sale People
Hayat Jubrail	...	Yard Sale People
Besedka Johnson	...	Sadie
Jimena Alegre	...	Yard Sale People
Romina Gilmore	...	Yard Sale People
Peter Rutledge	...	Yard Sale People
James Ransone	...	Mikey
Zoe Voss	...	Waiting Room Girl

Storyline

STARLET explores the unlikely cross-generational friendship between 21 year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway), and the elderly Sadie (Besedka Johnson), two women whose worlds collide in California's San Fernando Valley. Jane, an aspiring actress, spends her time getting high with her dysfunctional roommates, Melissa and Mikey (Stella Maeve and James Ransone), while caring for her Chihuahua, Starlet. Sadie, a widow, passes her days alone, tending to her flower garden. After a confrontation between the women at Sadie's yard sale, Jane uncovers a hidden stash of money inside a relic from Sadie's past. Jane attempts to befriend the caustic older woman in an effort to solve her dilemma and secrets emerge as their relationship grows. Director Sean Baker continues in the naturalistic style of his previous films, the award-winning and Spirit Award nominees PRINCE OF BROADWAY and TAKE OUT, capturing the rhythms of everyday life with an authenticity rarely seen in cinema. Featuring a pair of ...

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Plot Keywords:

unsimulated sex | cunnilingus | fellatio | yard sale | widow | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 May 2013 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Uma Estranha Amizade

Filming Locations:

Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$15,662 (USA) (9 November 2012)

Gross:

$87,910 (USA) (15 February 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cre Film, Cunningham & Maybach Films, Freestyle Picture Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The graphic sex scenes were filmed with porn star Zoe Voss, who acted as a double for Dree Hemingway.

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Goofs

Throughout the film, Jane's green car changes back and forth from a Ford Probe to a Saturn.

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Quotes

Sadie: [Sipping what looks like a lovely frappé outside Java Central coffee shop] I really prefer my own brand.
Jane: That dry s**t you shove into hot water?

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Connections

Featured in The 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards (2013)

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Soundtracks

Organ Grinder
Written by Jason Killgore
Performed by Jason Killgore
Courtesy of Ultra Music Library

User Reviews

Not to be missed

STARLET is a bold and original independent film. It's not afraid to go places most indies would shy away from, mostly due to not landing a distribution deal etc. That is just one of the many reasons why STARLET has true independent spirit.

I saw STARLET at SXSW earlier this year and it was the most exciting narrative to come out of the fest. Sean Baker is a fearless filmmaker that has already established himself with a diverse body of work. He's one I'll be watching for a longtime to come.

And of course this short review/praise would be incomplete without mentioning the breakthrough performance by Dree Hemingway. You could tell she had complete faith in Baker and it showed in her performance. It's a risky role that she seemed to handle gracefully.

STARLET is a film that challenges it's viewers. It challenges our prejudices and preconceived notions, but it does so with a heart.

Honorable mention: The brilliant, and almost effortless, performance by the dog, "Starlet".