Sean Baker was the toast of Tinseltown earlier this year when his phenomenal comedy-drama “Anora” scooped five Oscars, including the Academy’s biggest prizes, Best Picture and Best Director. But the Mikey Madison star-making movie was far from Baker’s first time creating a darkly funny flick that critics and viewers adored.
2015 saw the release of “Tangerine,” a bitingly sharp crime comedy that sees a sex worker set out on a quest to even the score after learning that her boyfriend (who also happens to be her pimp) was unfaithful to her while she was locked-up in jail for a month.
Filmed on three iPhone 5S phones — at a time when the idea of filming even an indie movie on a smartphone was considered pretty novel, let alone an S model — “Tangerine” is a brilliant underdog story, and it’s just arrived on Netflix as part of the service’s July slate.
If you enjoyed “Anora,” then it makes for the perfect follow-up, and if you don’t want to take my word for it, its critical reception should convince you to add it to your Netflix watchlist.
What is ‘Tangerine’ about?
Transgender sex worker Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) has just got out of jail after serving a 28-day sentence. Meeting up with her friend, and fellow sex worker, Alexandra (Mya Taylor), she is shocked to learn her boyfriend, Chester (James Ransone), has been cheating on her while she was incarcerated.
Setting out into the hazy heat of Hollywood on a warm Christmas Eve evening, Sin-Dee vows to find Chester and get to the bottom of the situation. What follows is an odyssey through Los Angeles, exploring a side of the city that is ever present but often hidden.
‘Tangerine’ was a hit with critics
Much like “Anora,” “Tangerine" was a real critical darling. The 2015 movie holds a very impressive 96% score on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, and this rating comes from almost 170 reviews, so it’s not a small sample size.
In fact, “Tangerine’s” RT score is higher than “Anora’s,” though the latter currently holds a strong 93% rating, so we're talking about two great movies.
Writing for the Observer, legendary U.K. film critic Mark Kermode said, “Fired by zesty performances that crackle and burn with energy, 'Tangerine' is a bittersweet affair underpinned by a winning sense of empathy and affection.”
Jake Wilson of the Sydney Morning Herald described it as “raucously entertaining.”
“The chemistry of the leads and their authentic, crackling dialogue make it a pleasure to tag along for the day,” said Rebecca Keegan of the Los Angeles Times. Meanwhile, RogerEbert.com’s Matt Zoller Seitz labeled the Sean Baker movie “assured and immensely likable.”
David Lewis of the San Francisco Chronicle was similarly impressed. “This is sublime filmmaking, a textbook example of how indies can tell groundbreaking stories in a way that Hollywood simply can't match,” wrote Lewis in an extremely positive review.
Plenty of critics also praised “Tangerine” for its (at the time) innovative style due to being shot on an iPhone 5S. This gives the movie a gritty and guerrilla look, and makes you, as a viewer, feel like you’re alongside Sin-Dee and Alexandra for a wild ride through L.A.
Stream ‘Tangerine’ on Netflix now
If you enjoyed Sean Baker’s work in “Anora,” then you don’t want to skip “Tangerine.” It’s a little rougher around the edges, at least from a stylistic point of view, but it’s no less bursting with snappy dialogue and thoughtful commentary on the world around.
And it’s far from the only worthwhile new addition to the streaming service this month. Check out our guide to everything new on Netflix in July 2025 for even more viewing recommendations, including must-watch movies and seriously bingeable TV shows.
Watch "Tangerine" on Netflix now
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