Sean Baker’s Prince of Broadway (2008) serves as a fascinating blueprint for the themes and techniques he would later refine in his career. As Baker’s second feature, the movie provides an early look at his distinctive ability to blend chaos, intimacy, and authenticity into his storytelling. It’s a work that feels vital, a glimpse of an auteur beginning to explore the layers of the human experience through characters navigating the margins of society.
The film follows Lucky (Prince Adu), a New York City street hustler who thrives selling knockoff high-end goods. His world is relatively simple, revolving around his work and the freedom it affords him during his downtime. Lucky is untethered, free from significant obligations, and content in the loosely structured life he’s built for himself. That is, until his ex-girlfriend appears unexpectedly and leaves him with a son he didn’t even know existed, insisting he take care of the child while she’s away.
What follows is a series of chaotic, emotionally charged moments as Lucky is thrust into the unfamiliar role of fatherhood. The sudden shift destabilizes his carefree lifestyle, forcing him to adapt quickly while juggling his street hustle and the demands of parenting. Lucky faces judgment from those around him—his friends and co-workers mock him for raising a child who doesn’t share his skin tone, further complicating his sense of masculinity and identity. Yet, through these challenges, Lucky begins to learn the basics of parenting, finding moments of tenderness amidst the turmoil.
Baker’s filmmaking here is raw and immersive, a style that captures the grit and vibrancy of the urban environments his characters inhabit. The chaotic energy of Lucky’s world mirrors Baker’s later works, such as Tangerine and Red Rocket, where characters often create and respond to friction in ways that feel utterly authentic. Lucky’s journey echoes the arcs of Baker’s future protagonists, individuals navigating messy lives with moments of humor, heartbreak, and unexpected humanity.
Comparisons between Sean Baker and Josh and Benny Safdie are apt, particularly in how Prince of Broadway parallels Daddy Longlegs. Both films center on flawed protagonists grappling with parenthood in untraditional, often chaotic circumstances. Like the Safdies, Baker injects his film with an underlying warmth, even as he explores the abrasive, frenzied aspects of his characters’ lives.
While Prince of Broadway may lack the bold audacity of Baker’s later works, it’s far more than a mere stepping stone. The DNA of his later films is evident, with fragments of The Florida Project, Red Rocket, and Anora visible in its framework. The film may not achieve the same heights as those projects, but it stands on its own as a decisive, deeply humane exploration of resilience and connection. It’s upsetting and wholesome in equal measure, a testament to Baker’s emerging talent for finding beauty in life’s most chaotic corners.
Score: 6/10
Prince of Broadway (2008)
- Cast: Prince Adu, Karren Karagulian
- Director: Sean Baker
- Genre: Drama
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- Rated: NR
- Release Date: June 22, 2008
More Movies Directed by Sean Baker
Sean Baker has directed the following movies:
- Take Out (2004)
- Prince of Broadway (2008)
- Starlet (2012)
- Tangerine (2015)
- The Florida Project (2017)
- Red Rocket (2021)
- Anora (2024)
