Tangerine Reflection

One of the most striking things that I found about Tangerine was its relationship with the city of Los Angeles. Even before they left the store, Donut Time, in the opening scene, the mis-en-scene, showed some glimpses of the city scape that already led me to believe the film took place in Southern California. Then, there is the coloring of the film. The colors are extremely exaggerated. The yellows are almost too yellow, and there is a sort of tint or filter to the film that reminds me of a feeling of heat. The look is informal, almost like that of an Instagram filter. However, it is impressive that the filmography was all done on iPhones, and that the movements of the shots could be captured so well with such simple camera equipment. The yellow tones help give the film a sense of heat, which is very much the case during peak hours of the day in southern California. Yet perhaps Tangerine’s most crucial way to showcase the sprawl that is Los Angeles is due to the lack of cars or transportation options that the main characters have. They do not own a car, and there are limited ways to get around by bus or train. Most of their traveling is done walking, and shots extend for minutes showing them walking from one block to the next amidst this seemingly excruciating heat. Another way that the extent of the city is shown is due to the lack of mobile devices that the characters have. At the beginning of the film, Alexandra tells Sin-Dee that her cell phone was shut off because she had to cover her rent last month. So the characters have a hard time getting in touch with one another and have to rely in verbal communication and walking to talk or exchange information, something that could easily be done via text or a phone call. We take these forms of communication for granted but the movie makes us realize that cell phones are not available to all. The cost of a data and cellular plan is high and so are the cost of cell phones. While for many cell phones and specifically smartphones are essential, for others, even today, they remain elusive gadgets because of the high price tag that comes with the upkeep of a cell phone.