I Want to See You Out That Door. 4 / 5
Directed by Sean Baker.
Finding himself down and out in Los Angeles, ex-porn star Mikey Saber decides to crawl back to his hometown of Texas City, Texas.
Sean Baker takes his style that is soaked in reality and applies it to a dysfunctional character study that is effortlessly carried by Simon Rex in the insatiable Red Rocket.
Rex finally breaks out of the shell of the Scary Movie franchise to play a self-absorbed ex-Porn Star who returns to his past in the hope of a new beginning but falls immediately back into old habits.
Set to the cheery melodies of *NSYNC, this grimy story is viewed with rose-tinted glasses as we see the world through the optimistic eyes of Rex where he can do no wrong despite crossing almost every line imaginable. Ironically like a car crash in slow motion, much of what takes place gets under your skin but you can't help but look away for a single second.
Rex becomes a black hole in the middle of this rural Texan town, pulling in everyone close to him and corrupting everything in his path, especially Suzanna Son who shines in her debut role.
Baker has created such a lustful story but presents it in the least sexy way possible holding a mirror up to an idyllic idea of Americana and exposing the ugly truth and its narcissistic nature.
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