Following TANGERINE and THE FLORIDA PROJECT, Sean Baker has delivered another sun-kissed tragicomic deconstruction of the American Dream focussed on another marginalised community. Moving from shining the spotlight on the experiences of trans sex workers to hotel homeless in his previous two films, with RED ROCKET he follows a twilight star of the porn industry looking for his next big break. Mikey Saber (Simon Rex) is not a nice guy, but he is a beguiling one that you’re strangely compelled to root for despite the number of people he manipulates and screws over, chiefly his recovering addict ex Lexi (Bree Elrod) and Strawberry (Suzanna Son) a teenager who just wants to be famous. Fans of Baker’s previous work will likely know what to expect with this – grubby Americana, down-to-Earth heart and slightly uncomfortable humour – but it’s good to play the hits. SSP