You can learn a lot about life from the people on the street, especially when that street is in one of the countless small towns in quirky Florida. In his new documentary, “The Floridians,” director Sean Dunne gets close to a dizzying array of characters that are overlooked every day. However, Dunn noticed and forced us to do so. Along the way, he discovers a series of surprising, quirky, and raucous perspectives on what it means to survive in America today.
Dunne captures each of his captivating subjects in the cozy natural habitats of bars, liquor stores, laundromats, dimly lit apartments and motel rooms. They’re all here; the bar thug, the midnight philosopher, the rugged retiree living the dream of seaside relaxation, the homeless veterinarian and the sidewalk drunk. They are, in their own way, street preachers.
Some express the reality of their existence through a steady stream of soulful conversions. Others stood silently in front of the camera and stared at it. The details of their personal struggles remain elusive, but they are inherent in every wrinkle that marks their faces like a map of life.
“I just love Florida, man,” says one resident proudly enjoying the sand and sunset in his trailer. “It’s my second home – the ACE Liquor Store,” admitted another respondent, who spent days and nights avoiding confrontations with police.
Some are residents of the state. Others immigrated there from different parts of the country. We suspect each of them has a compelling story to tell about where they came from and the cards life dealt them along the way. For the most part, Dunne just teases us with bits and pieces of her life journey, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks themselves.
After all, the characters that really impress you are the ones you’re eager to learn more about. What Dunn provides is the building block of an environment that many of us don’t consider when we rest comfortably in securely defined circles. The world out there is big, and even the people on the street can teach us a lot.
