Last week, Sean Baker was just a really good filmmaker. Now, he’s a four-time Oscar winner and is in the record books as one of only two people to win four awards in one night (alongside Walt Disney). So, naturally, we had to put together a list of all the Sean Baker movies ranked, and tell you where to watch them.
Thanks to Anora, Baker has become a household name over the last few months, but his thrilling, unorthodox love story is actually the eighth feature film he’s made. Most of Baker’s work carry themes of a sexual nature, with problematic relationships and a healthy dose of chaos at their core.
You may want to now dive into everything Baker has ever touched, and you’d be right to do so. But, for those who are more picky about their film-viewing habits, we can separate the best from the rest. Here’s every Sean Baker movie ranked, plus details on where they’re streaming.
8. Four Letter Words
Directorial debuts are always tricky, and Four Letter Words is very obviously the sign of a filmmaker with lots of promise 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 it does its best on a low budget.
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.
7. Prince of Broadway
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.
6. Take Out
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, and still features 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 and elevates Take Out beyond its means.
5. Starlet
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 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 that the relinquished control of the camera to focus on directing duties, and those decisions definitely paid off.
4. Red Rocket
There is a really big divide between Baker’s first four movies, and his more recent four efforts. Indeed, we could have put the following 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.
Yes, the concept of the film is a bit uncomfortable, but that’s the point, and Simon Rex does a stellar job of playing the eccentric, at times reprehensible Mikey. His chemistry with Suzanna Son is, frankly, mesmerising at times, and the pair deserve all the credit for turning a potentially problematic film into something oddly sweet and very, very funny.
3. Anora
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 Maddison’s Oscar-winning turn as the titular character, and she’s so good here that you forget you’re watching an actor for the most part.
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.
2. Tangerine
Tangerine bears plenty of similarities with its latest sibling, Anora, but while the latter leans into Baker’s more absurd and outlandish tendencies, his 2015 film is a lot more grounded and, as a result, more impactful in its climax.
While plenty of filmmakers have shot on an iPhone since, Baker’s effort on Tangerine is far from a gimmick, and instead lends a richness and realism to his work in telling the story of transgender sex workers, Sin-Dee Rella and Alexandra. Tangerine is beautiful to look at, has a gripping narrative, and showcases creative filmmaking at its finest.
1. The Florida Project
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 form 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 makes way for a softer, more vulnerable nature, our heart breaks for this child who so desperately wants to dive head first into all the things children love to do, but she is severely inhibited by the life she is born into.
Where to watch all of Sean Baker’s movies streaming online
Check out the list below on where to watch all these Sean Baker movies streaming on services like Netflix, Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video and more.
