A mother, a daughter, and the Magic Castle Inn. This story speaks for hundreds of other single mothers in the United States who are trying to raise their children while still making ends meet. From falling behind on rent to inviting temporary “guests” over to compensate for basic needs, this story is known all too well.
Hailey, a 24-year-old woman, raises her 6-year-old daughter, Moonee, in the heart of Florida. Moonee is no stranger to trouble, and her playmates Scooty and Jancey follow suit.
Moonee and Hailey live in the Magic Castle Inn in Kissimmee, Florida, near Disney World, Moonee’s favorite attraction. While Moonee and her best friends cause mischief around the Inn, Hailey and Bobby, the Magic Castle Inn’s manager, strive to protect Moonee from their harsh living circumstances and what lies ahead for their future.
Hailey’s background is unknown to viewers, but inferences of her character and childhood are speculated. She doesn’t let any conflict slide by, she’s upfront about everything to everyone, which is what makes her character so unique and raw. With some single or teenaged moms, they have no choice but to be loud, to yell their truth, because many won’t listen. Hailey only wants the best for Moonee, and like many others in America, the only way to get what you truly need is to never stop demanding it.
What struck me most about this film was its authenticity. It’s almost shocking how accurate it is to what’s happening in society right now, and it’s hard to find anything similar. Growing up similarly to Moonee, this film revealed years of overlooked trauma for me, yet I felt strangely at peace.
The acting in this film is superb, and the plot is unexpectedly authentic to the point where it’s difficult to put it into words. In my previous opinion, this film might have been reduced to at least 1 hour and 30 minutes. However, after seeing it again, I realized that you need to see each scene to comprehend everything, much like a person’s personality.
You have to get to know someone before you understand why they tie their shoes a certain way, why they use slang in certain contexts, or why they’re insecure. This was an amazing decision by the directors, especially with the stigma around single mothers and their reasons for being who they are.
People are so quick to overlook and criticize someone beneath them, which is why I love the length of this film, and it’s an excellent method to shed light on individuals who believe they lack light themselves. The representation genuinely moves me, and as the daughter of a former teenage single mother, this film is exactly what we need to help others realize Hailey and Moonee’s true hardship. My mother, much like Hailey, wanted only the best for her kid. She wanted to give her son the best childhood possible while juggling her childhood and what it takes to be a good mom. She was working night and day to put food on her son’s plate and pay the bills, which is why this movie means so much to me. It means so much to every mom out there with the same story, getting chewed up and spit out by society’s norms. We have yet to fix this issue or help it in any way, and teen moms are left as outcasts. They’re looked at a certain way. I don’t want to see anyone else hiding diapers in their purse or not eating to feed their child.
From DFS to poverty, this film will change your outlook on everything- on the truth of working single mothers in this harsh and unforgiving society.
