Starlet

Sean Baker's Starlet depicts the surprising friendship that develops between two women. Jane (lanky model Dree Hemingway, daughter of Mariel Hemingway) works in San Fernando Valley's adult entertainment industry. Jane's Chihuahua dog, Starlet, provides more stable companionship than either her high-strung roommate, Melissa (Stella Maeve), or hopped-up boyfriend, Mikey (James Ransone). While looking for items to decorate her room, Jane stops at 85-year-old widow Sadie's (Besedka Johnson) yard sale, where she buys a thermos that surprisingly contains rolls of hundred dollar bills, sending Jane on a shopping spree. Sadie intended the sale to mollify a civic group that has been pressuring her to renovate. After guilt sets in, Jane finds ways to keep running into Sadie—a loner who doesn't appreciate the unsolicited attention (and even calls the police at one point). Jane doesn't tell Sadie about her job or the money, but she wears Sadie's resistance down by driving her to the grocery store, the cemetery, and bingo nights. Jane and Sadie wouldn't seem to have anything in common, but Jane becomes genuinely intrigued by Sadie's background, which includes a gambler husband. Later, while Jane is at work shooting a porn scene (which includes full frontal nudity and graphic sex), Starlet leads Melissa to a discovery that threatens the tenuous relationship between Jane and Sadie. An emotionally powerful character study, Starlet is recommended for more adventurous collections. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary (by director Sean Baker and cast and crew including star Dree Hemingway, cinematographer Radium Cheung, co-writer Chris Bergoch, producer Blake Ashman-Kipervaser, and costars Stella Maeve and James Ransone), a “making-of” featurette (29 min.), cast and crew interviews at SXSW (12 min.), costar Besedka Johnson's screen test (6 min.), “A Conversation with Dree and Besedka” (5 min.), the production featurettes “Researching Melissa” (5 min.), “Shooting ‘The Scene'” (5 min.), and “Editing Starlet” (4 min.), rehearsal footage (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid and mature character study.] (K. Fennessy)