Starlet
2012 · 103 min · Director: Sean Baker
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
STARLET explores the unlikely cross-generational friendship between 21 year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway), and the elderly Sadie (Besedka Johnson), two women whose worlds collide in California's San Fernando Valley. Jane, an aspiring actress, spends her time getting high with her dysfunctional roommates, Melissa and Mikey (Stella Maeve and James Ransone), while caring for her Chihuahua, Starlet. Sadie, a widow, passes her days alone, tending to her flower garden. After a confrontation between the women at Sadie's yard sale, Jane uncovers a hidden stash of money inside a relic from Sadie's past. Jane attempts to befriend the caustic older woman in an effort to solve her dilemma and secrets emerge as their relationship grows. Director Sean Baker continues in the naturalistic style of his previous films, the award-winning and Spirit Award nominees PRINCE OF BROADWAY and TAKE OUT, capturing the rhythms of everyday life with an authenticity rarely seen in cinema. Featuring a pair of exceptional debut performances by Dree Hemingway (great granddaughter of Ernest and daughter of Mariel) and 85 year-old Besedka Johnson who received a Special Jury Recognition for her performance at SXSW. STARLET is at once provocative, haunting, unpredictable, and surprisingly sweet.
Emotional fingerprint
Starlet (2012) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Empathy 30%, Love 25%, Melancholy 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Empathy30%
- Love25%
- Melancholy20%
- Sadness15%
- Satisfaction10%
AI estimate · no viewer votes yet
How we measure
AI estimate
Share of emotional signal, not the percentage of people or a probability of enjoyment.
Each viewer contributes one response, split equally across their selected emotions. When available, an automated estimate supplies a prior that is blended with those responses. Counts include distinct viewers, not automated estimates or archived anonymous votes. Fewer than 3 viewers is an early estimate; more responses do not guarantee certainty.
Why it feels this way
The strongest emotional signals are Empathy, Love, Melancholy. Genres: Drama. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Empathy, Love and Melancholy. Its IMDb rating of 7.0/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 70/100.
How did it make you feel?
Votes are saved to the fingerprint once you’re signed in.
Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Curiosity
- Empathy
- Tension
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Curiosity
Dominant emotion: Humor
Dominant emotion: Empathy
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Curiosity | Empathy | Tension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 3′ | Curiosity | 23 % | 20 % | 9 % | 12 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 8′ | Curiosity | 31 % | 28 % | 10 % | 18 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 13′ | Curiosity | 39 % | 37 % | 14 % | 23 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 18′ | Curiosity | 37 % | 36 % | 20 % | 21 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 23′ | Curiosity | 34 % | 30 % | 25 % | 18 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 28′ | Humor | 38 % | 29 % | 32 % | 17 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 33′ | Empathy | 43 % | 33 % | 37 % | 19 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 39′ | Curiosity | 46 % | 35 % | 35 % | 31 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 44′ | Tension | 48 % | 29 % | 33 % | 43 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 49′ | Tension | 44 % | 27 % | 28 % | 37 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 54′ | Curiosity | 39 % | 27 % | 24 % | 26 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 59′ | Empathy | 43 % | 26 % | 35 % | 26 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 64′ | Empathy | 46 % | 28 % | 41 % | 25 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 70′ | Curiosity | 41 % | 29 % | 31 % | 29 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 75′ | Tension | 41 % | 27 % | 30 % | 36 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 80′ | Empathy | 49 % | 24 % | 39 % | 43 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 85′ | Tension | 55 % | 27 % | 41 % | 50 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 90′ | Tension | 55 % | 37 % | 41 % | 51 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 95′ | Empathy | 58 % | 46 % | 49 % | 50 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 100′ | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence |
Riches to rags
Rags to riches: The emotional tone rises from negative to positive.
Riches to rags: The emotional tone falls from positive to negative.
Man in a hole: The tone falls, then recovers.
Icarus: The tone rises, then falls.
Cinderella: The tone rises, falls, then rises again.
Oedipus: The tone falls, rises, then falls again.
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Kadri — your film companion
AIAsk anything about Starlet. From the film’s own dialogue and FeelDB data, at your spoiler level.
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
0 responses so far
Feeling details appear after at least 3 viewers respond, to protect privacy.
Cast
Arash
Janice
Yard Sale People
Yard Sale People
Yard Sale People
Yard Sale People
Yard Sale People
Yard Sale People
Yard Sale People
Yard Sale People
Yard Sale People
Waiting Room Girl
Nurse
Manicurist
Nail Salon Attendant
Taxi Driver
Details
- Directed by
- Sean Baker
- Written by
- Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 2012
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Country
- United States, United Kingdom
- Genres
- Drama
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Empathy
- Data updated
Where to watch
Subscription
Rent
Feels similar
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